One in the Same
by switchbladesandhairgrease
Summary: "You know what? That time we were in Windrixville was the only time I've been away from our neighborhood," Johnny has had a crazy sixteen years, but one day, he hears something he never saw coming. They say you won't know if you don't try, and Johnny is left with one big decision.
1. The Unexpected

**I was thinking of story plots, and I happened to think of this particular one. I think this plot has potential, so I decided to give it a go. I think the first chapter turned out great. :) I hope you enjoy it, and if you do, please review. :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own The Outsiders, or anything else you find familiar in this story.**

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He was use to everything his father threw at him. The punches. The wooden boards. The abuse. After sixteen years of all of it, he'd finally started to believe his father's words. Every single day, he'd hear the same harsh expression.

_"You deserve everything I give you, you no good hood,"_ The terms stung at first. Eventually, the pain that followed it had subsided. He had grown accustom to that sentence. Every time he had done something – good _or _bad – he'd hear the phrase. It no longer bothered him, neither did the abuse that was apart of the packaged deal. He had grown to withstand the pain, mentally and physically. It was the same thing everyday. He had done his best to avoid his house at all cost, but sometimes he couldn't help it. Sometimes his only escape wasn't available. One particular day, though, the pain had gone to a whole new level. He never thought his father could hurt him, especially since he's dealt with it so long, but even the littlest things can hurt. No matter how tough you are.

XxXxXxX

Johnny rummaged through the cabinets in a desperate attempt to find food. He was starving. He tried to make this a quick stop, but since there was nothing in the cupboard, it didn't go as planned. Johnny sank to the ground and sighed. He was hoping to get a snack and get out of the house before _he_ arrived. All hope was gone. The front door squeaked open and shut with a loud slam. Johnny was too late. He was home.

"Johnny!" his father's words slurred. He was drunk, and it was only noon. "Johnny, where're you." Johnny reluctantly got to his feet and carried himself to his awaiting father. His eyes were blazing and bloodshot. Not only from the beer, but something else as well. "It's all _your_ fault." Mr. Cade accused, pointing a finger towards his son. Johnny wanted to dart out the door and run to Pony's house. Surely that would work, but his father would catch him before he reached the door, so Johnny remained in his spot. He avoided eye contact and kicked dust around. He didn't even bother asking what he did; he learned several years ago that it was useless. Johnny found it easier to just take the blame. The punishments weren't _as _bad if he didn't question anything. "Because of you, I lost my job! My boss said it's 'cause of my anger issues . . ." Mr. Cade chuckled quietly to himself. ". . . Hell, I ain't got no anger issues; I got you instead. That's way worse." He started to undo his belt. Johnny knew exactly what was to come. He knew how bad it'd hurt. He knew how bad it'd hurt especially since he still had bruises from the last time. When the belt met the bruises, it wasn't the nicest feeling; everyone could tell you that, but Johnny preferred this to the wooden board. Nothing was worse than that in his opinion. "Now, it's time for your punishment." Johnny got into position. He leaned over a chair and waited for the pain his father was about to inflict on him. The belt cracked in the air and made contact with Johnny. He didn't even jump. The hits continued; Johnny's father slurred incoherent some things every now and then, and Johnny patiently waited for it to be over. He was desperate. He didn't know what he did to deserve this; he was a good kid. He wasn't the stereotypical greaser. He was good. His father kept mumbling stuff, and Johnny did his best to ignore it, but a specific phrase caught his attention. ". . . I dunno why we adopted ya. I still ain't sure how your mother talked me into it . . ." Johnny's eyes opened. That single word occupied his mind.

_Adopted_

He was adopted? He couldn't be. People always told him how much he looked like his mother. Besides, his last name was the same as his mother and father. _Cade._ His father pulled back much to Johnny's relief. He stumbled into the kitchen and grabbed himself another can of beer. Johnny took this as the initiative to run. Despite the pain, he took off out the door. He ran as fast as he could with a sore bottom. He knew exactly where he was going.

The Curtis House.

They were the nicest people Johnny had ever met. They always fixed him up nicely after he experienced the wrath of his drunken father's rampage. Could Johnny even call him that? They're not his biological parents. He's adopted. Johnny Cade isn't actually a Cade. He's something else, but he couldn't bring himself to imagine him with another last name. With another family. Without even thinking, Johnny darted up the front steps and into the Curtis' living room. Mr. Curtis, Darry, Soda and Steve all sat in front of their tiny television watching something that looked nothing like the programming he had become familiar with. None of the boys – besides Mr. Curtis – turned to look at the younger boy.

"Good afternoon, Johnny," Mr. Curtis greeted, holding his newspaper firmly in both hands.

"Good afternoon, Sir," he answered shyly. Mr. Curtis had grown to be a dad to Johnny. It was shocking he was still so shy around him. "Where's Ponyboy?" Mr. Curtis opened up the paper.

"He's in his room reading like usual," Mr. Curtis replied, staring intently at the print. Johnny turned away from the crowd and hurried down the hallway to his best friend's bedroom. As Pony's father had stated, he was in fact reading. Johnny pushed the door open. Pony tore his attention away from the book and smiled at his smaller friend.

"Hey, Johnnycakes," Pony greeted, inserting his bookmark into the appropriate place. He shut the book and sat it on his desk. "What brings you here?"

"P-Pony, I came to talk to you," Johnny's voice was filled with worry. He didn't intend to come off like that, but it happened. Pony's smile disappeared, and he stood up from his seat rather quickly.

"Johnny, what is it?" he asked in a firm tone. Johnny stared into his friend's eyes and frowned. He wasn't sure how to break the news. Should he beat around the bush, or get straight to the point? Johnny took a deep breath. "Tell me, Johnny." Pony pleaded. Ponyboy was growing impatient, leading Johnny to blurting out the news without thinking.

"I was adopted," he revealed.

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	2. Asking for Help

**So, I'd like to thank my two reviewers. It means a lot. :) I wrote another chapter, so here I am to post it. I hope you enjoy it. When you get done reading, please review! Also, I have a few more stories for The Outsiders on my page. Go check them out! Review those as well. :)**

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Pony stared at him blankly. He never could have seen this coming. His best friend was adopted. Johnny Cade wasn't a Cade. Suddenly, his emotionless face changed to that of anger. Johnny stared at him hard. Trying to piece together what was going through his friend's mind. One thing filled Ponyboy's mind.

Johnny was adopted.

Being that his parents weren't his biological parents, it brought Pony a great deal of anger. His adoptive parents abused him. That made the situation way worse. Pony brought his hand to his forehead to hide his face.

"Pony, a-are you okay?" Johnny asked him softly. He let out the breath he had been holding in.

"I'm fine. It's just . . . What does that mean for the gang? Are you going to try and find your actual parents?" Ponyboy asked fearfully. Johnny hesitated a moment before shrugging his shoulders. Honestly, he wasn't quite sure what he wanted to do.

"I-I dunno, Pony . . . I mean I want to find my real family; I want to know what they're like . . ." Pony nodded his head sadly as he listened halfheartedly to what Johnny was saying. "But I can't stand the thought of leavin' y'all. Pony, what am I gonna do?"

"I'm not sure. But . . ." Pony bit his tongue and wondered if this is what he wanted to say. Without warning, it slipped out. "If you want to find your family . . . I'll help ya." He knew that was the right thing to say, but it stung coming out. Johnny's entire face lit up.

"Would ya really, Ponyboy? You'd actually help me find my real family?" Johnny asked him happily. Pony forced a smile and weakly nodded his head. "But . . . How are we going to know where to fine 'em?" Johnny collapsed onto Pony and Sodapop's bed. Ponyboy took a seat next to him and sighed.

"Do your parents know anything?" Johnny turned to face his friend. He tried to hide the frown that was forming.

"I dunno. I just found out today," he answered sadly. Pony stared at the floor for a minute before jumping up.

"Maybe my folks can talk to your folks," he suggested. Johnny looked at him curiously. "Maybe my mom can ask your mom. It's risky, I know, but we'll never know if we don't try." Johnny tore his attention away from his younger friend and stared at the wooden floor. After several moments of thinking it over, he sighed.

"Would your parents be willin' to do that?"

XxXxXxX

He felt alone. No one else, besides the Curtis family, was there. Johnny felt like a bum. He felt terrible for always staying at their place. No matter how many times they insisted it was all right, Johnny couldn't ditch the feeling. He stared at his plate and absentmindedly played with his peas. He wasn't feeling too good. The thought of him being a part of someone else's family was still fresh in his mind. The thought of how difficult it'd be to actually find those people made him sick. He wanted to find them. He wanted to know why he was put up for adoption. He wanted a family that actually loved him. But wait . . . If he went to go live with his new family that meant leaving all his friends. He couldn't do that. He'd miss them too much, but would it be worth it? He'd be able to visit them every now and then, right?

"Johnny, darling, are you all right?" Mrs. Curtis asked, pulling him out of his thoughts. Johnny nodded his head and sat his fork onto the table.

"Sorry, Mrs. Curtis, I ain't that hungry," he sighed sadly. Mrs. Curtis continued to watch him, but her lips slowly fell to a frown.

"Is something on your mind, sweetheart?" she asked once more. Johnny looked towards Ponyboy and met his eyes. He looked at him pleadingly. He wanted them to know, but he didn't think he could do it himself.

"Um, Mom . . ." Pony started out slowly. Mrs. Curtis gave her youngest son a slight nod ushering him to continue. She never took her eyes off the tanned boy across from her. "Earlier Johnny found out that he's, uh, he's adopted. His parents now ain't his real parents." Mrs. Curtis stared at him with a sad smile.

"You want to find your real parents, don't you?" she asked Johnny. He avoided eye contact but nodded his head.

"I hate to ask; I really do, but c-could you maybe go talk to Mrs. Cade?" Pony asked shyly. Mr. and Mrs. Curtis exchanged glances, and one of them sighed.

"If it means Johnny gets to know his real family, we'd be more than willing to go talk to his mother," Mr. Curtis answered. Johnny felt himself smile. He looked up towards his best friend's parents.

"Really?" he asked excitedly. Mrs. Curtis nodded her head happily. "Gee, thanks! I-I really appreciate it. Mr. Curtis laughed lightly.

"You deserve it, Johnnycakes. After living with 'em for sixteen or so years, you could use a break," Soda called. Johnny looked at him and smiled.

"Thanks," he said quietly. Then, the entire family went back to eating dinner in peace.

XxXxXxX

Johnny had a hard time falling asleep that night. Thoughts raced in and out of his mind. What if his new family didn't even want to come in contact with him? Maybe they got rid of him because they weren't happy with how he looked. Maybe he was put up for adoption because he wasn't a girl. But if his original parents would have kept him, he wouldn't have been able to meet the amazing friends he had today. But if he somehow came in contact with his biological parents, would they want him back? Would he have to leave Tulsa? Johnny didn't know how he'd react if he had to leave the six boys who had grown to be his brothers. Johnny rolled over and stared at the empty living room. He pushed the negative thoughts to the back of his mind and closed his eyes. Within minutes, he was asleep.

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	3. Letters to Home

**So, this is technically my third update today. This is the most I've done in a while. You guys should feel lucky. ;) I'm updating today because I'm in such a good mood! You all should know that when I'm in a good mood, I update. (hint . . . reviews put me in a good mood) I got a couple more reviews earlier, and I'd like to say thank you to those who reviewed! It honestly does make my day reading those. :) Enough with me, enjoy chapter three. :)**

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"Are we doing the right thing?" Mrs. Curtis asked her husband, watching as the worn out asphalt passed by the couple. Mr. Curtis squeezed her hand gently.

"What do you mean darlin'? Of course we're doing the right thing. It's what Johnny wants," he answered. Mrs. Curtis sighed softly.

"I know, but how do you think his parents are going to react? Something is telling me that he wasn't even supposed to know," Mr. Curtis merely shrugged.

"I guess we'll find out," he answered. The two stopped outside the small house. Each of them shared a quick glance; Mr. Curtis looked emotionless while Mrs. Curtis looked eager and anxious. "Ready to do this?" she nodded her head, and the two approached the old, dirty door.

XxXxXxX

Mr. Cade answered the door, and from the way his words slurred together, it was obvious he was drunk.

"What the hell do you two want?" he snarled, taking a sip from his aluminum can. Mr. Curtis stepped forward and straightened out his back to appear taller.

"We're here on Johnny's behalf," he began. Johnny's dad chuckled evilly.

"What'd the little shit do now?" Mr. Cade asked.

"He didn't do _anything_," Mrs. Curtis spoke up, defending the poor boy. "But we came to talk to you two. Is your wife home?" Mr. Cade rolled his eyes and sighed loudly.

"Patricia! You've got company!" he shouted into the house. Mr. Cade gave them one last look before walking away from the door. Both of the Curtis parents stood there awkwardly. Moments later, a tiny woman appeared in the door. She didn't look any nicer than the man.

"What can I help you two with?" she asked rudely. Mrs. Curtis opened her mouth to speak, but no sound came out. "C'mon, now, I don't have all day." Mr. Curtis cleared his throat and spoke up.

"Johnny mentioned something to us about wanting to find his real parents; he heard your husband say he was adopted," Mr. Curtis explained. Patricia stared at both of them without making a sound.

"Stay here. His real mother gave us their address. God only knows why," Mrs. Cade mumbled. "Now, I'm givin' you this only so you'll get off my property." She walked away silently. Mrs. Curtis stared at her husband. The feeling of being uneasy was etched onto her face.

"Remember, we're doing this for Johnny," Mr. Curtis whispered.

"Patricia, what the hell did 'em salesmen want?" they heard Mr. Cade call.

"Richard, they ain't salesmen. They came for Lucille's address!" Patricia shouted back.

"The hell they want Lucille's address for?"

"Somethin' about Johnny wantin' to find his real family. Can't blame the shithead. I'd want to get away too if I was unwanted," she called back. Moments later, Patricia returned with a slip of paper. "Here . . ." she said, shoving the paper towards Mr. Curtis. "This is their address as of a couple months ago. Dunno why she kept sending it." The last part was said so quietly it was hard to hear. Mrs. Curtis glanced at it before looking at Johnny's mother.

"Thanks a lot, Patricia," she smiled. Mr. Cade merely rolled her eyes.

"What you guys' names?"

"I, uh, I'm Darrel, and this is my wife, Barbara," he answered. Patricia observed the two and slowly backed out of the doorway.

"Is it all right if Johnny spends the night with Ponyboy?" Barbara asked. Mrs. Cade looked at her funny and shut the door in their face. "Well . . . She was a nice one, wasn't she?" she asked sarcastically. Darrel turned on his heel and began heading home. The whole way he stared at the tiny sheet of paper.

"Johnny is originally from Newark, New Jersey?"

XxXxXxX

Johnny and Ponyboy sat at the table together. Both of them stared at the address on the paper intently.

"I wonder what it's like on the East coast," Pony wandered aloud. Johnny shrugged his shoulders and picked up the pencil. "Do you want me to help you?"

"Would you?" Pony nodded his head happily and smiled.

"'Course I would. What do you want to say to them?" Johnny shifted towards the blank sheet of paper and thought hard. Finally, it became clear to him what he wanted to say.

_Dear, Lucille,_

_ I dunno if you remember me, but it's me, Johnny. I found out the other day that you're my mom. My old man said I was adopted. How come? How come you gave me up?_

"Johnny! You can't just say that right away!" Pony exclaimed, reading over his friend's shoulder. Johnny rolled his eyes and erased.

"What should I say?" he asked curiously. Pony took the pencil and paper away from his friend.

"Tell me what to write," Ponyboy commanded. Johnny nodded and listed off a bunch of stuff he wanted to write. A few minutes later, their work was complete. Johnny took the letter and read over it as best as he could.

_Dear Lucille,_

_ It's me, Johnny. I got your address from my folks, and I wanted to know . . . Do you remember me? Accordin' to my old man, you're my mother. I'm sixteen now, and I want to know you. I want to learn what my family is like. I want to come home to you. I don't mean to sound demandin' by that, but I really do. My parents now have been treatin' me harshly, and I want to get away. In fact, I need to get away. Is there anyway you can help with that? Please. Just give me a chance._

_Love always, Johnny_

Johnny finished reading Ponyboy's letter and sat the paper on the table. He looked at his friend and frowned.

"That ain't much better," Pony only shrugged his shoulders.

"Heck, it'll do," he replied. Ponyboy got up from his seat and went to grab an envelope. Johnny remained at the table and laughed quietly to himself.

"Talk about gettin' to the point,"

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	4. Dear, Johnny

**You get to meet Johnny's family in this chapter. This isn't the actual chapter where they meet, but it'll be soon. I promise. :) If you haven't been able to figure out who his family is, you'll definitely know in this chapter. Enjoy chapter four! When you get done reading, please review! It gives me motivation to update!**

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Lucille stared at the papers in her hands and sighed. At this rate, there was no way she'd be able to afford their move to California. She sat the informational paper her real estate lady, Anna, had given her on the table and laid her head in her hands.

"Ma, the mail is here," her son, Daniel, spoke, entering the kitchen. He stopped in front of the table and skimmed through the envelopes before tossing the stack onto the table. Lucille picked her head up and curiously looked through the pile herself. Bills. Bills. Bills. It was the same thing as usual. But, hidden beneath the money sucking envelopes, was something more. Something that caught Lucille's eyes. She pulled it out of the pile and tossed the rest onto the table as Daniel had earlier. Lucille observed the front. It was from Tulsa, Oklahoma. She ripped it open eagerly and read over the letter. It was her son. Her younger son, Johnny.

_My parents now have been treatin' me harshly, and I want to get away._

She read the sentence over and over. The sentence still sinking in. Tears pricked her eyes. She couldn't believe this. She couldn't believe she allowed two cruel adults to take her youngest. Daniel reappeared into the kitchen.

"Hey, Ma. Have you seen my cleats? Kevin, Kenny, and I are going to go kick the ball around . . ." Daniel trailed off and took a seat across from his mother. "What's wrong?" he asked, staring at her. Lucille wiped at her eyes and sniffled.

"N-Nothing," she stammered. Daniel continued to watch her.

"Ma, c'mon. You don't just start crying when you're reading a letter. What's wrong? Please tell me?" he pleaded. Lucille scanned over Johnny's letter once more before handing it over to her oldest.

XxXxXxX

After several silent minutes, Daniel sat the paper on the table. His eyes were wide, and he was speechless. Lucille wiped at her eyes once again and waited for his reaction.

"I-I have a b-brother?" Daniel asked in disbelief. Lucille weakly nodded her head. "Since when?"

"He was . . . I put him . . . Your father . . ." Lucille closed her mouth in attempts to figure out how to word it.

"Dad wanted to get rid of him?" Daniel asked. She looked back at him and nodded her head slowly. "Well . . . How c-come?" Lucille took a deep breath and looked at him, debating on if she was ready to tell him the whole situation.

"Well, it all started seventeen years ago . . ."

XxXxXxX

As soon as Daniel went to bed, Lucille sat down and decided to write her letter back. She held the pen tightly in her right hand and stared at the blank sheet of paper. There was so much she wanted to say. So many things that she didn't even know where to begin. She continued staring at the paper, and she felt as if she were going to be sick. So many emotions consumed her at the moment. She felt excited. She nauseous. She felt gleeful. But most of all, she felt anxious. Finally, after thinking it over several times, Lucille knew where to start. The pen met the paper, and the words seemed to flow easily onto the sheet.

_Dear, Johnny . . ._

XxXxXxX

Mr. Curtis stepped into the small house with a big smile on his face. Mrs. Curtis entered the living room to tidy up the furniture but stopped in her tracks when she noticed her husband looking more jovial than normal.

"What is it, sweetheart?" Barbara asked, leaning over to fix a pillow. Darrel held one envelope out towards his wife. She stood up and accepted it. Barbara read over the front, and, just like Darrel's, her lips curled into a big smile.

"Where are the boys?" he asked. "Ponyboy." His voice echoed throughout the whole house and bounced off the walls. Seconds later, his youngest son came running into the living room.

"Yeah, Dad?" Pony asked. Mr. Curtis said nothing and continued smiling; he held the letter out towards his son, who took it gingerly. Pony tore his attention away from his dad and looked at the front of the envelope.

_Lucille LaRusso_

_Newark, New Jersey, 07104_

Pony's eyes widened. Johnny got a letter from his mother. She got his letter. He gripped the envelope tightly and raced back into his room where his best friend was. Inside the room, Johnny was trying to read _Gone with the Wind_.

"Johnny!" Ponyboy shouted. His friend jumped and turned to look at his friend. Normally, he would've felt bad, but right now, the only thing he could feel was excitement. "Catch!" Pony tossed the letter onto Johnny's lap. He picked it up curiously and read the front. "It's from your mom!" Johnny eagerly tore open the package, pulled the letter from it, and carefully unfolded it. Pony collapsed onto the bed next to his friend and read over his best buddy's shoulder.

_Dear, Johnny,_

_Johnny. Is it really you? I was afraid I'd never get to hear from you again. You want to come home? But, your home is in Tulsa. But if you want to come back with me, I would be more than willing to take you. I don't want you living with those monsters. Even if they're your "parents", I'm still your mother. You're mine. I'm sorry for everything though, and I want you to know, that no matter what, I love you. Forever and always. Call me when you get the chance. My number is 973-555-7114._

_Love, your mother, Lucille_

Johnny felt tears beginning to form in his eyes. Just like what had happened to Lucille.

"Johnny . . . She wants you back," Pony said softly. Johnny wiped his eyes.

"How do you know? It doesn't say that," he responded, scanning the letter quickly for any information he might have missed. Right then and there, Pony was tempted to hit his buddy upside the head.

"The way the letter is written. She called your adoptive parents monsters. She wants you, Johnny. She said she still loved you," Pony explained. Johnny stared at the letter happily.

_"I want you to know, that no matter what, I love you. Forever and always._

Someone actually loved him.

"S-Should I got call her?" he asked Pony quietly. Ponyboy nodded his head and reached for the telephone on Soda's nightstand. Johnny accepted it and picked up the phone. He fumbled with it for a few seconds, but his shaky hands managed to dial the number. It rang a couple times, and he was afraid she wouldn't answer. But on the fourth ring, someone answered.

"Hello?" they answered.

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	5. We are Family

**This isn't one of my best chapters, and I'm sorry, but I promise it'll get better. :) So, try to enjoy chapter five. When you're done reading, please review. It'll give me motivation to type, and I seriously mean that.**

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own The Outsiders ****_or_**** The Karate Kid.**

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_"S-Should I got call her?" he asked Pony quietly. Ponyboy nodded his head and reached for the telephone on Soda's nightstand. Johnny accepted it and picked up the phone. He fumbled with it for a few seconds, but his shaky hands managed to dial the number. It rang a couple times, and he was afraid she wouldn't answer. But on the fourth ring, someone answered._

_"Hello?" they answered._

Johnny took a deep breath and closed his eyes. His heart was racing. His heart was beating so fast, he thought it was going to break through his ribs and chest. Ponyboy nudge his friend lightly. Johnny opened his eyes.

"Answer her," he whispered to his friend. Johnny nodded his head and released the breath he had been holding in.

"Hello? Who is this?" the voice said again. Johnny's nose wrinkled in confusion. That was _not_ a woman's voice.

"This is Johnny. Is L-Lucille there?" Johnny asked the person quietly. There were a couple moments of silence. The only thing he could hear was the buzzing noise within the phone.

"Hello, this is Lucille," someone said, causing Johnny to jump. Her voice was loud yet cheery.

"Hi, it's me, Johnny," he replied shyly.

"Johnny . . ." Lucille said, rolling the name around on her tongue. "Johnny . . . Are you Johnny as in my youngest son?" Youngest son? He had a sibling?

"Uh, yeah . . . That's me,"

"Oh, sweetheart, it's so good to hear from you again," Johnny could _hear_ the smile on her face. If that was possible. "I was reading your letter again this morning . . ." Lucille trailed off. "A-Are you sure you want to come back with me?"

"Yes, I'm absolutely positive,"

"Would your folks be all right with me taking you back?" Johnny scoffed at the thought of his parents caring.

"'Course they would," he remarked bitterly. Ponyboy looked at his friend in shock. Johnny was _never_ bitter like that.

"What's their phone number? Are you calling from your house?" Lucille asked him.

"No, I'm at my friend's house,"

"What's your phone number? Before I can fill out forms, I need to talk it over with them," Johnny gave out the number to reach his parents. "Thanks, darling. I'll call you when I get information, but I have to go now. I have to make Daniel dinner, and get ready for work. I'll see you later. I love you." Johnny opened his mouth to ask the one question that's been on his mind the whole conversation. But before he could, she hung up. Johnny pulled the phone away and hung up as well. He focused on a section of the wall and allowed the question to float throughout his mind.

_Who's Daniel?_

Was it his dad? His uncle? His grandfather? Johnny jumped to several conclusions before one stood out among the others. Was it his _older_ brother?

"Well . . ." Pony said slowly. "What'd she say?" Johnny tore his attention away and looked at his best friend.

"She said she's going to try and get me back,"

XxXxXxX

Johnny explained the whole situation to the gang that night. Each of them held different emotions. Darry was shocked. Soda looked hopeful. Dally looked angry. Two-Bit looked happy. Steve looked anxious.

"Are you sure you can trust this woman?" Dallas asked as Johnny's story faded out. "What if your parents gave you some fake address?" Johnny's looked at him without any emotion.

"I don't think they'd do that, Dal," he tried to reason, but Dallas wasn't having it.

"You don't think they would? Johnny, your old man _beats_ you. What's to say he wouldn't give you a fake address just to get rid of you?" Johnny saw what he was saying and frowned. He hadn't thought of that. What if it was true?

"Dallas . . . Calm down," Barbara said sweetly, squeezing his shoulder.

"Guys," Johnny started slowly, trying to change the subject. "She said I was her youngest son. I have a sibling. _I_ have a sibling." A smile slowly worked its way onto his face. He had always wanted a brother or sister, preferably younger, but he was happy either way.

"Do you? What's their name?" Mr. Curtis asked. Johnny looked towards him and merely shrugged his shoulders.

"She never said. She only said that I was her youngest," he answered. Dallas heaved a sigh and stood up. He pulled a cigarette from his leather jacket and headed towards the front porch.

"I bet you're better lookin' than 'em, Johnnycake," Two-Bit teased. Johnny's cheeks began to flush, and he turned away. He was going to miss them if the adoption went through.

XxXxXxX

Mrs. and Mrs. Curtis lied in bed that night, talking about nothing in particular as they normally do. Finally, Mrs. Curtis brought attention back to Johnny's situation.

"Do you think we did the right thing?" she asked her husband curiously. Mr. Curtis kissed her cheek and smiled.

"Of course we did. He's going to have a nice home now," Darrel replied.

"I know, but what about the boys?" she asked again.

"What about them?"

"If Johnny leaves, they'll be lost without him," she said. Mr. Curtis sighed and pulled from her.

"I know, but . . . Let's not cross that bridge until we come to it," he told her sadly. Barbara nodded her head and rolled over. The thought of Johnny leaving was fresh in her mind, but she somehow managed to fall asleep.

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	6. And It Begins

**I'll be completely honest . . . This story is more popular than I imagined. I thought it would be a story where there is only one loyal reviewer. So, thank you everyone. It means a lot to me when you say you love this story. :) Also, I'm debating on putting The Karate Kid as a category. I almost want to leave it, so people are "wondering" who his actual family is. Though, if it's not obvious after the first couple chapters, I worry. ;) When you get done reading, please review. :) If there is anything you'd like to see happen in this story, put it in a review or PM me, and I'll try to work them in, and if I use your idea, I'll give you credit. :)**

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Lucille stared at the piece of paper that held her son's current parents phone number. Her hand was shaking slightly as she dialed their number. They abused their son. How were they going to act towards her? Would they be nasty? Would they try to be the least bit nice? Lucille pressed the number eight before placing the phone next to her ear. It rang once. Twice. Three times. Four rings later, someone answered.

"What?" they grumbled. Lucille winced at the raspy voice on the other line. "Who is this?" they asked again.

"Hi, I'm Lucille LaRusso," she introduced herself as nicely as she could. The man on the other line groaned.

"Listen, Johnny already knows yer his mother. So you don't have to continue botherin' us," Mr. Cade explained to her. Lucille leaned her forehead against her hand. This was going to be harder than she thought.

"I know Johnny contacted me a couple days ago . . ."

"Then what do you want?" Mr. Cade asked impatiently.

"I was wondering if you'd allow me to take my son back. If you'd let me have custody of him. Would you allow that?" Lucille tapped her fingers nervously on the table. Then, Daniel entered the kitchen loudly.

"Mom, have you seen my backpack?" he asked, scanning the room. Lucille looked at him and held a finger to her lips. "Sorry." Daniel whispered in return, racing out of the room.

"If you really want him, you can have him. He ain't that great of a kid if you ask me," Mr. Cade answered.

"Thank you very much, Mr. Cade. I'll fill out the forms as soon as possible. What's your address? I'll need your signature," Richard sighed loudly into the phone before giving out their address. Lucille quickly wrote it down on the pad of paper sitting in front of her.

XxXxXxX

Lucille walked into the Newark Adoption Agency with a complaining Daniel in tow.

"Mom, why do I have to be here?" he asked, following close behind. Lucille entered the building completely ignoring his question. Both of them approached a desk with a bright eyed lady sitting behind it.

"Good afternoon, ma'am. How may I help you?" she asked happily.

"I need to pick up forms for an adoption. Can I get any?" Lucille asked in return. The woman nodded her head and stood up.

"You sure can. If you'll excuse me, I'll go get those, and I'll be back soon," the woman took off down the hall and turned back to her oldest. Daniel stared back at her with his arms crossed.

"What's the matter, Daniel?" she asked, running her hand through his hair.

"Why was I forced to come here?"

"I wanted some company,"

"What are we even doing here?"

"We're getting your brother back,"

XxXxXxX

Johnny held on tightly to his mother's letter. He wandered to his usual spot in the lot and took a seat. He looked over the envelope happily before tearing into it. Hopefully it brought some sort of good news. Johnny eagerly unfolded the letter and took a deep breath before reading what his mother had to say.

_Dear, Johnny,_

_ Good news, sweetheart! Your parents are all right with you coming back to me! As soon as they sign the papers and send them back, you're all mine. We'll be happy together. You, me, and Daniel. Sweetheart, we'll be together around September 3__rd__. We're moving to California around that time, and if my calculations are correct, we'll be in Oklahoma City on September 3__rd__. You'll have to catch a train down to the city, and Daniel and I will meet you at the station. That's the plan for now. Hang in, buddy; we'll be together before you know it._

_Love, Mom_

Three weeks. Three more weeks until he'd get to be with his real family. Three more weeks left in Tulsa . Three more weeks until he gets to meet the infamous Daniel.

Johnny got up from the ground and shoved his mail into his jacket's pocket. Once it was snug, he began back towards Ponyboy's house. He had to share the news with him.

XxXxXxX

Pony stared at the letter. Sadness was etched into his face. He had three more weeks before Johnny left. He'd probably never see him again, either.

"So, you're really leavin', eh, Johnnycakes?" Pony asked, setting the letter on the table. Johnny nodded his head and played with the tablecloth. "I can't believe this." Ponyboy whispered to himself.

"I'll write to you, Pony. I promise," he spoke up. Pony looked at him and smiled weakly.

"You better, Johnny Cade,"

"Hey, I have to catch a train to Oklahoma City that day. Do you think your folks would let you come along with me? We can bring Dally or somethin'," Coincidentally, Mrs. Curtis then entered the kitchen.

"Good afternoon, Johnny," she greeted.

"Mornin', Mrs. Curtis," Johnny answered. Mrs. Curtis smiled and headed towards the sink.

"Mom, Johnny has to meet his folks in Oklahoma City on the 3rd. Can I got with him, so he's not alone? We'll ask Dally if he'll come along," Pony begged. Mrs. Curtis turned around and looked at her son worriedly.

"I don't know, Pony. That's quite a distance for a fourteen and seventeen year-old, but, let me talk to your father. I think you're responsible enough, but I'll need to speak with him about it," she answered. Pony smiled and looked back at Johnny.

"Want to go ask Dallas if he'll come along with us?" Johnny nodded his head. Both boys got up and hurried out the door. Their journey to find Dallas Winston had begun.

* * *

**review loves. :)**

**If you have any ideas for this story, or something you'd like to see happen, please, please, please tell me, and I'll do my best to make it happen! Remember, I'll give you credit for the idea if I use it! :)**


	7. You're Going to Miss This

**Golly, I can't believe how many reviews I got for chapter six. Sure, it may not be ****_that_**** much, but it's a lot to me, and I'm thankful for every single one of them! Thank you ****_so_**** much!**

**Johnny and Ponyboy go to find Dallas, and this text mentions Dallas having dark hair. I know he actually has white-blonde hair, but I'm going by the movie for his description. For me, it's hard to imagine him with light hair after seeing the movie so many times. That's my warning for you all.**

**Again, if any of you have any idea suggestions, please tell me! Tell me in a review, or PM me! I would love to hear them! :)**

**I hope you all enjoy chapter seven. When you get done reading, please review. It gives me motivation! :)**

* * *

As both boys predicted, Dallas was found at Buck's. Johnny hesitated, but then knocked loudly on the door. He turned around and faced Ponyboy, who had fear written all over his face.

"Calm down, Pony," Johnny said. Pony looked at him and frowned.

"If my brother knew I was here, he'd kick my head in," he sighed. "He'd probably even tell my parents, and who knows how they'd react."

"But . . ." Johnny trailed off. "Your mom heard us say we were going to find Dally. Don't your parents know he hangs out at Buck's a lot?" Pony opened his mouth to respond but was interrupted by an angry huff.

"What do you boys want?" someone asked rudely. Johnny turned around and met eyes with an unpleasant looking Buck.

"We're here to see Dallas," Pony answered firmly. Buck glared at Ponyboy.

"He's busy," Buck grumbled.

"Let us see Dally, man! It's important!" Johnny cried. Buck's eyes widened, but he quickly regained control of his emotions and narrowed his eyes again.

"Fine," he groaned, backing up. He turned around and kicked the door closed behind him. Johnny looked at Ponyboy who was staring back at him with a goofy grin, similar to that of Soda's.

"I didn't know you had it in ya, Johnnycakes," Pony teased. Johnny rolled his eyes to take notice off his flushed cheeks. "You sure can be a feisty one . . ." To Johnny's relief, the door opened, cutting Ponyboy off in mid-sentence. Dallas ran a hand through his dark hair and looked from Johnny to Pony back to Johnny.

"What are you guys doin' here?" Dally asked confusedly.

"Johnny's leavin', Dal," Ponyboy blurted out. Johnny looked towards the ground and avoided eye contact.

"What?" Dally asked again.

"I'm movin' soon," Johnny answered him. He slowly picked his head up and looked at the tough hood. He looked hurt. Dallas Winston looked hurt at the mention of Johnny leaving.

"You're actually leavin'?" Johnny nodded his head.

"We were wonderin' if you'd come to Oklahoma City with us," Pony spoke up. Johnny was thankful he was doing all the talking. He wasn't sure he could handle it at the moment.

"Why are y'all goin' to Oklahoma City?"

"Johnny's family is movin' to California, and they're not passin' through Tulsa, so we have to catch a train to Oklahoma City," Ponyboy explained. Dallas looked at Johnny and sighed before looking back towards the other boy.

"Your parents are perfectly fine with you goin' there with him?"

"Well, my mother has to talk to my dad, but if you go with, they might say yes. They don't want me comin' back alone," Dallas nodded his head slowly and watched Johnny.

"Yeah, I'll come with you two," he replied after several long moments.

XxXxXxX

"That's it?" Daniel asked, following Lucille into the house. "You signed the form, and now you have to wait for his parents to sign it?" Lucille sat her purse on the counter and looked at her son.

"Pretty much. Then when it comes back, we have to take it to the adoption agency to confirm it," she explained, walking to the cabinet.

"How long is that going to take?" Daniel asked again. Lucille looked through the cabinet and shrugged her shoulders.

"It could be a week; it could be longer. But, we'll for sure be able to get him on our way to California," she responded. Daniel stared at her blankly.

"We're actually going?" he asked slowly. Lucille drew back from the cupboard and looked at him. A smile formed on her face, and she nodded happily.

"I got a job offer out there," she explained. "We leave in exactly three weeks. We'll have to hurry to get ready."

"I can't believe this. We're moving across the country, and when we arrive, we'll have another kid," Daniel said, throwing in a humorless laugh.

"Daniel, please tell me you're going to treat him nicely. He's your brother. Sure he hasn't been here the past fifteen years, but he's still your brother," Daniel got into the fridge and pulled out a Coke. He opened the can and took a sip.

"I'm not making _any_ promises," Daniel said, heading out of the kitchen. Lucille watched him disappear and sighed.

_He'll come around. They always do._

XxXxXxX

"Hey, Two-Bit, Mickey's on!" Soda shouted from the living room. Two-Bit shoved the remaining cake in his mouth and ran towards the television. He plopped onto the ground and stared admiringly at his favorite mouse.

"So, Johnny, are you nervous about moving?" Mrs. Curtis asked, stirring the noodles for the Curtis' dinner.

"I think it's more of excitement than nerve," Johnny answered honestly. "I've never left Tulsa before . . ." Johnny faded out slowly.

"Darrel and I went to California when I was pregnant with Darrel Jr. It's really pretty out there. Plus, the weather is always nice. I think you'll like it," she smiled. Johnny smiled along with her.

"I think I'll like it; heck, I hope I like it, but I'm gonna miss y'all," he told her. Mrs. Curtis turned and looked at him.

"We're always a phone call away. Whenever you're feeling lonely or anything, call us. It doesn't matter what time it is, we'll happily answer for you," Johnny's smile grew bigger.

"Thanks, Mrs. Curtis," he told her. Barbara grabbed onto the pot and moved to the sink. Carefully, she tipped it over to allow the water to fall out.

"When do you leave again?"

"I'm supposed to leave on the third of September," Ponyboy entered the room and took a seat at the table with Johnny.

"On a bright note, you only have to stand looking at Pony for three more weeks," Mrs. Curtis teased. Johnny chuckled while Ponyboy attempted to glare at his mother. It would've been convincing if he didn't break out in a big grin seconds later. "I'm just kidding, sweetheart."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm sure you were," Pony laughed. Johnny slowly stopped laughing and watched the scene in front of him. He was going to miss this.

* * *

**review loves. :)**

**Remember, if you have ****_any_**** suggestions for stuff you think would make this story better, or for stuff you'd like to see, ****_please_**** tell me! Tell me in a review or private message me! :)**


	8. Time for a Change

**So, I'd like to thank ****_Ladybugs_**** for the idea of Dallas getting drunk and breaking down. I altered it a bit, but I hope you like it. :)**

**I'd like to thank my other reviewers as well! Your feedback means a lot! :)**

**I hope you all enjoy chapter eight! When you get done reading, please review. It gives me motivation to write more and update.**

* * *

Buck watched in amusement as Dallas finished off his fifth beer of the night. He slammed the bottle onto the counter and wiped his mouth lazily with his hand.

"You done?" Buck asked, prying the bottle from Dally's hand.

"M'good. I want 'nother un," Dallas slurred. Buck chuckled quietly to himself and sat the bottle in the sink.

"I don't think you need another one. You probably can't even make it to the door without fallin' flat on your face," he replied. Dallas leaned onto the counter and pulled himself off the stool.

"Imma make it," he said, stepping onto the ground. He brought his other foot around, and like Buck predicted, almost fell to the ground.

"Damn, you can't even make it of the stool," Buck said. Dally steadied himself and looked at Buck.

"M'goin' to bed," Dallas announced.

"You're gonna fall goin' up them stairs, and you're gonna kill yourself," Buck stepped out from behind the counter. He grabbed a hold of Dally's arm.

"Don't need your help," he slurred, swatting at Buck's hand. Buck didn't listen and helped a drunken Dal to his room upstairs. The trip up the stairs was the best part. Dally made it up the first two stairs successfully, but on the third one, he tripped and almost fell backwards. If it wasn't for Buck, he would've cracked his head open on the wooden floor, and Buck couldn't have that. It'd ruin his bar.

The two reached Dally's room. Dallas jerked out of Buck's grip and stumbled over to his bed.

"M'good. Go away," he said, waving Buck off. He tripped over a slightly raised floor board and fell onto the bed, getting a face full of dirty sheets. Buck rolled his eyes and turned away. He had to get back downstairs. His bar was more important to him than some drunk teen; even if they were rodeo partners.

Dallas pulled himself onto the bed and crawled under the blankets. He curled up in a ball and thought about the day's events. Johnny was leaving. Johnny was leaving the gang. Johnny was leaving him. He'd probably never see that kid again. Like everything else, Dallas had grown to love, he lost it. Eventually leading him to hate everything. A couple tears slipped out of his eyes and danced their way across his face, settling on the pillow. Dallas Winston, the toughest hood you'd ever meet, was crying. He never cried. He was crying because he was losing the one thing he loved: Johnny.

XxXxXxX

Johnny collapsed onto the Curtis' couch and got comfortable. Ponyboy brought him a blanket and fanned it out over him.

"Thanks, Pony," Johnny said smiling. Pony merely smiled in return before heading to his room. Unfortunately, Johnny couldn't sleep. His days in Tulsa were numbered. He wasn't sure he'd ever return, and he highly doubted he'd return. If he was put up for adoption that must have meant his original family couldn't afford him. But . . . If they were poor too, how come they are moving to California ? Johnny's active mind kept wandering. Eventually, it put him to sleep.

XxXxXxX

The next morning, Johnny was woken up with someone banging on a door. He rolled over and glanced around the room, and sure enough, just as he imagined, it was Soda.

"C'mon, Pony! I have to get ready for work!" he exclaimed. Pony's muffled voice answered back immediately.

"Wait a minute, Soda! I'm going to the bathroom!" Soda drew back from the door and walked into the living room.

"That dang kid. He's always hoggin' the bathroom in the mornin'," Soda mumbled to himself, plopping onto the couch. As soon as he met eyes with Johnny, a big smile formed on Soda's face. "Hey, Johnnycakes! You excited to be movin' to California ?" Johnny rolled over to be on his back. He kicked his blanket off and sat up slowly.

"I dunno. I'm kind of excited to get out of Tulsa , but I don't want to leave the gang. I'm gonna miss you guys," Johnny answered sadly.

"Aw, Johnny. We'll always be here! Whenever you miss us, just give us a call!" Soda said happily. Johnny looked at him and gave him a small smile.

"I know, but it won't be the same," he said. Soda's smile started to disappear, and a slight frown started to take its place.

"You're leavin' the third, right?" Johnny nodded. "Johnny, on the second of September, all of us are going to have such an awesome time. It'll be a day you'll never forget!" Johnny stared at him blankly. With Soda, he didn't know if this was good or bad. "What's wrong?"

"Nothin'. Just tryin' to figure out what you could possibly have in mind,"

"Nothin' yet, but I'll think about it. But trust me; you won't forget it anytime soon,"

"Soda, with you involved, it's hard to forget anything," Soda's big, goofy grin reappeared.

"I'm gonna take that as a compliment!"

XxXxXxX

A few days letter, Lucille received the adoption forms. She stared at the envelope and feared the worst. They came back faster than she imagined. What if they didn't sign then? Daniel sat in the passenger's seat of the car and sighed.

"C'mon, Ma, you were excited to get the forms a couple days ago," he said, staring out the window.

"I know, but what if . . . What if they aren't signed?" Lucille asked, flipping the envelope over. She slowly tore it open. She then pulled the piece of paper out and unfolded it. Lucille took a deep breath and held it in. When, she glanced at the bottom, she was relieved to find the signature of Richard and Patricia Cade. She released her breath and smiled.

Johnny was hers again.

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**review loves. :)**


	9. This is It

**I finally got ahead in this story! What does that mean? It means that I have more chapter written than I've posted. I'm not writing this story on the spot, so I can update. Woo!**

**Even though chapter eight only got one review, I'm not going to let that prevent me from updating. So, here's my daily update.**

**This is a pretty big chapter! Johnny finally gets to meet Lucille and Daniel! How is Daniel going to act towards Johnny?!**

**Enjoy chapter nine. When you get done reading, please review. It honestly gives me motivation. :)**

* * *

This was it. Today was the day. Today was the day the LaRusso family began their forty-two hour drive to Reseda. Lucille packed the old station wagon happily. She was ready to leave this old town. She was ready to trade the Newark winters for the Reseda sun. Most of all, she was ready to see Johnny again. Lucille stuffed the last box into the car and moseyed back up to their old house. Inside, Daniel was wandering around the now empty living room.

"Are you ready to go, sweetie?" she asked softly, leaning against the doorframe. Daniel stopped in his tracks and turned to look at her.

"I'm ready," he sighed. Daniel walked towards his mother and stared into the kitchen. "I think I'm actually going to miss this place." he told her. Lucille smiled and wrapped her arm around his shoulders.

"I am too, buddy, but I have a good feeling we're going to do well in California," she promised him. Daniel looked at her and smiled.

"I know. I have that feeling too," She pulled her arm away from him and led the way towards the car. Several of Daniel's friends, including Judy, were circled around. Daniel smiled to himself. They actually came to say good-bye. Lucille squeezed in between the teens and crawled into the front seat of the car. She watched as her son said bye to them, and when he was hugging Judy good-bye, she started the car. The two pulled away, and Daniel got into the front seat next to his mother.

The kids moved away, and that's when she pulled off. Daniel chuckled to himself when he noticed his friends and classmates chasing after their beat up station wagon. A chorus of farewells rang throughout the neighborhood, and Daniel sighed. He was going to miss this place. He couldn't believe it. He had always wanted to get away, and now that he was, Daniel realized how important this town had become to him. His whole childhood was spent here.

XxXxXxX

"California, here we come!" Lucille sang happily. Daniel stared out the window and watched the fields of Tennessee roll by. "What's the matter, Daniel? You don't like my singing?" Daniel sighed once more.

"I don't like the song, Ma," he replied sadly.

"You're going to love California! You wake up in the morning, and plop! You're in your swimming pool,"

"Sure . . ."

"You'll see," Lucille told him, focusing on the road. Daniel readjusted the way he was sitting and turned to face his mom.

"So, we're picking up some stranger in Oklahoma City?" he asked. Lucille frowned and shook her head.

"He's not a stranger, Daniel . . ."

"Mom, he kind of is. You haven't seen this kid in fifteen years. Don't you realize how awkward this is going to be when you both reconnect?" he interrupted.

"You're going to be reconnected with him too," Lucille answered him quietly.

"I was two when he was put up for adoption. I don't even remember what he looks likes," Lucille ignored Daniel and thought about what he had said. She knew he was right. It was going to be awkward when they met again. He is almost a stranger to the two of them. Even with all of this going through her head, she doesn't regret adopting him. She never will either.

XxXxXxX

Johnny woke up with mixed emotions. Today was the day. Today was the day he would finally get to see the world outside of Tulsa. He was excited and sad. He wasn't ready to say good-bye to the gang. Johnny picked himself up and rubbed his eyes tiredly. He almost wanted to cry. _That's_ how badly he was going to miss the gang, and everyone knows, greasers don't cry. Ponyboy emerged from the hallway quickly with Soda following close behind.

"I'm gonna get 'cha," Soda exclaimed, tackling Pony to the floor. Both of them rolled around until Pony pinned his older brother to the ground. Ponyboy stared down at him and smirked. He pinned Soda's wrists above his head and began tickling him. Soda squirmed around from underneath in hopes to get free.

"Looks like I win again, Sodapop!" Pony exclaimed happily, releasing his brother's wrists. Ponyboy removed himself from his older brother's waist and stood up.

"I'll get you next time," Soda mumbled to himself. Pony rolled his eyes and smiled.

"No you won't," Ponyboy glanced over in Johnny's direction. "Ready to meet your new family today, Johnny?" He shrugged his shoulders and moved towards his best friend.

"I bet you're nervous, ain't 'cha?" Soda asked, putting Johnny in a headlock. He didn't even struggling. He let Soda mess up his hair. When he was finished, he released Johnny.

"I don't even remember them. What if they're as bad as my folks now?"

"Then you come back to Tulsa, and we adopt you!" Soda announced happily.

"C'mon, Johnny . . ." Pony said, ignoring his brother's idea. "I don't think they're going to be like your parents now. You're mom sounded too sweet to be that way." Johnny shrugged his shoulders.

"I guess we'll find out," he sighed.

"When you get there, I expect you to call. Ya hear?" Pony said. Johnny nodded his head and smiled. "No excuses."

XxXxXxX

The whole gang, including Mr. and Mrs. Curtis, gathered at the train station. Everyone, except Dallas and Ponyboy, had tears in their eyes. Soda, Two-Bit, Darry, and Steve held themselves together and pulled Johnny in for a group hug.

"We're gonna miss you, Johnnycake," Steve said, ruffling up his hair.

"I expect to hear from you often," Two-Bit added.

"Will you write to us, Johnny?" Soda asked. Johnny nodded his head and was released from the hug. He slowly moved back towards his best friend.

"Dallas, do you have enough money for tickets back to Tulsa?" Mr. Curtis asked. Dally nodded his head and smirked.

"Don't worry; I have thirty-five dollars. That should be enough," Mrs. Curtis moved over towards the small, tanned boy.

"Enjoy California, Johnny. We'll all miss you so much," she cried, hugging him tightly. The train to Oklahoma City was called, and Mr. Curtis was forced to pry his wife away from Johnny.

"Have a good time. I'll miss you, kid," Mr. Curtis told him. Dallas grabbed a hold of Johnny's arm and pulled him away. He said good-bye one last time before hurrying to catch their train. Their farewells echoed off the walls and slowly disappeared into nothing. Dally handed a lady their tickets, and they boarded the locomotive. Ponyboy found their seats and plopped down next to the window; Johnny sat next to him, and Dallas sat across.

"Thanks for comin' with us, Dal," Johnny smiled. Dallas looked at him and gave him a genuine smile.

"You're welcome, kid," he answered.

* * *

**review loves. :)**


	10. Meeting the Family

**First off, I want to apologize for the misunderstanding & confusion in the last chapter between my author's note and the content. I got my chapters mixed up, so I would like to thank the guest ****_Jolie_**** for bringing that to my attention.**

**Instead, ****_this _****is the big chapter. Johnny finally gets to me his biological family! Now, Daniel hasn't been the nicest when speaking about Johnny, so how will he react when they finally meet!?**

**Enjoy chapter ten. When you finish reading, please review. It makes my days. :)**

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own The Outsiders or The Karate Kid.**

* * *

Lucille turned the car off and turned to face Daniel. They had reached Oklahoma City. It was time to get the remaining LaRusso.

"Are you ready to go get your brother?" Lucille asked. Daniel turned to look at her.

"I'm as ready as I'll ever be," he answered plainly. Lucille smiled, and the two of them got out of the car. Daniel slammed the door shut and crossed his arms. He wasn't excited about this. What was wrong with just him and his mom? Daniel followed his mother up to the station. "How are you supposed to find this kid?"

"I'm not sure, but we'll find him. We'll find Johnny," she said.

XxXxXxX

"That kid looks like you Johnnycake," Pony said, pointing to a kid approaching the station. Johnny shrugged his shoulders.

"I dunno. I don't know what they look like," The two people got closer, but they paid no mind to the three hoods next to the doors.

"Why don't you call their name?" Dally asked. He cupped his hands around his mouth. "Mrs. LaRusso." The woman's head snapped up and a smile formed on her face. She changed her course and began towards the greasers with an unhappy looking boy following close behind.

"Are you Johnny?" she asked, looking at him. He nodded his head and looked away. "I'm Lucille." Her smile grew bigger. Dallas stood up and approached Johnny's actual mom.

"If I find out you're like Johnny's old parents, you better hope I don't find out where you live," he warned in a low, dangerous voice. Dally looked from Lucille to Daniel. He moved past her and towards him. "And you. If you hurt Johnny too, you better hope I don't find you because I won't hesitate to beat the shit out of you." He didn't look phased. Daniel stared at Dallas with the same emotionless face.

"Dally! Leave them alone!" Pony scolded. Once he realized he didn't scare Daniel, he spun around quickly and headed back to Johnny. He grabbed Johnny's hand and slapped his ring into his palm.

"Keep this, kid," he said. He pulled his hand away, and Johnny stared at the jewelry. He couldn't believe Dallas had given it to him. Ponyboy latched onto his best friend and hugged him tightly.

"Please call as soon as you arrive," he said, squeezing Johnny. Johnny hugged him back and smiled.

"I won't forget," he promised. Dallas grabbed onto Pony's collar and pulled him off. They exchanged one last good-bye before the two disappeared back into the train station to get a ride back to Tulsa. Johnny looked up at his new family. Lucille was smiling at him happily, but the boy didn't look the least bit happy.

"Johnny this is Daniel, your older brother," Lucille introduced, wrapping her arm around him. So, this was the infamous Daniel. He didn't look very happy. Was it Johnny? Was it because he had to leave his other home? When Lucille noticed they weren't going to speak to each other, she sighed. "Let's just go get these last nineteen hours out of the way." She turned around on her heel and began towards the car. Daniel looked at Johnny from head to toe before turning around and following their mother. What did he do? It's not his fault that she took him back. Sure he asked if she would, but she didn't have to say yes. Johnny frowned and followed his family members to the station wagon.

Good-bye, Oklahoma.

XxXxXxX

Ponyboy stared out the window and watched the scenery fly by. Dallas watched him and couldn't help but feel a little sad. The kid just lost his best friend. Sure, the whole gang lost Johnny, but he and Pony were closer than Dally thought was possible.

"It'll be okay, kid," Dally said. Ponyboy slowly turned his head and looked at Dallas. "You act like you're never gonna see him again."

"I won't, Dal. We don't have enough money to fly out to California to visit him," Pony told him sadly. Ponyboy looked away from him and continued to stare out the window. Dallas continued to watch him as a plan began to form in his mind.

XxXxXxX

The whole car ride had been silent. There were a few times when Lucille would try to start a conversation among the three, but it always fizzled out as quickly as it started.

"Johnny . . ." Lucille said, looking at him in the rearview mirror. "Tell us about yourself. How did you like Tulsa? What were your friends like?"

"Tell her. I don't care," Johnny heard Daniel mumble. He almost expected Lucille to scold him, but she somehow didn't hear it.

"My best friend was Ponyboy. He has two older brothers; their names are Sodapop and Darry. My other friend's are Two-Bit, Steve, and Dally," Johnny shared nervously.

"You had a lot of friends,"

"We're apart of a gang. We're greasers," Daniel let out a humorless laugh.

"Your son is a part of a gang. How does that make you feel?" Daniel asked.

"Daniel! Knock it off," Lucille scolded. She glanced at Johnny again. "I'm sorry for him; he's upset about the move." Johnny nodded his head slowly. He didn't believe it. He wasn't stupid. He knew Daniel wasn't happy that he had joined the family. Johnny leaned his forehead against the window and sighed.

Whether Daniel liked it or not, he was apart of the family.

XxXxXxX

The whole gang was waiting for Ponyboy and Dallas when they got back to Tulsa. They knew it was foolish, but they all secretly hoped Johnny was with them. But when Ponyboy and Dally approached them alone, their hearts shattered.

"He's really g-gone," Soda said softly. Mr. Curtis gripped his shoulder firmly.

"I can't believe it. Johnny's gone," Steve said in disbelief.

"I hope Pony isn't too depressed," Mrs. Curtis said. Her question was answered when his face came into view. He looked so upset. He looked so upset that it worried Barbara. Ponyboy left Dally's side and immediately came to his mother.

She wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly.

"How are you feeling, Pony?" she asked, running her hand up and down his back. Ponyboy shrugged.

"I'm upset, but I'll get over it eventually," he answered sadly. He pulled away from his mom, and the gang headed back to the car to head home. This was going to take some getting use to. It was going to be hard to adjust.

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**review loves. :)**

**What'd you think of the Dallas / Lucille & Dallas / Daniel scene? Or the Daniel / Johnny scene? :)**


	11. Arriving in Reseda

**Huge shout out to my friend, Majestic Butter! :) Show him some love and check out his story ****_Johnny's Confessions_****! It's a great story. :)**

**Once the LaRusso family reaches California, this story is going to follow the Karate Kid movie line. Johnny is still our main character, but Daniel is still going to get bullied; he is still going to take karate lessons from Mr. Miyagi; he's still going to be in the All Valley Tournament. But, Johnny is going to get thrown into the mix, so it'll be interesting. :)**

**When you get done reading, please review. It means a lot! :)**

* * *

Johnny couldn't help but feel relieved when the old station wagon pulled up to their destination. He couldn't take the silence any longer, and Daniel was starting to make him feel uncomfortable. Lucille shut the car off and looked her oldest son.

"Daniel, wake up," she said quietly. Daniel stirred slight. "Look off the starboard bow. Paradise at last. We made it. Come on. This is it. This is the end of the line." Johnny looked out the window and at the building. His mother considered this paradise?

"You're telling me," Daniel sighed, opening the door. He got out and slammed the door shut.

"Come on, all hands on deck," Lucille said once more. Johnny crawled over to the left side of the car and got out. He shut the door behind him and went to help his mom unload their boxes. "Look at those palm trees! Damn, do you know what that means?"

"Yeah, watch out for falling coconuts," Daniel answered plainly. Johnny looked at him and frowned. This kid was emotionless.

"Wise guy. No more Newark winters!" Lucille exclaimed happily.

"I like winters, Ma," Lucille looked at him and frowned.

"Oh, you like sore throats? You like frozen toes?"

"I don't like smog," Johnny grabbed onto a box and struggled to pick it up. It was heavier than he imagined.

"Did I tell you about the pool here?" Lucille asked.

"About 100 times,"

"Okay, so make it 101. Open your eyes, my darling son. This is the Garden of Eden . . ." Johnny's mind raced back to Ponyboy. Garden of Eden. Eden. That was mentioned in a poem he memorized. ". . . One flight up." Lucille disappeared into the building while Daniel continued struggling with his bike.

"Do you need help?" Johnny asked him. Daniel shook his head and pulled the final bungee cord away. "Are you going to be able to take the bike down on your own?" Daniel nodded his head and pulled the bike down with ease. He picked up his suitcase and slid one of the handle bars through the suitcase handle. He ignored Johnny and began the journey to their new apartment. Johnny didn't hear what number they were, so he followed behind his older brother. He was about to open the gate for Daniel, but instead, he kicked it open. Hitting some kid in the process. Daniel leaned his bike up against the building and quickly went to help the kid.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Don't worry about it," the kid replied holding his nose.

"Let me help you up,"

"Thanks,"

"I shouldn't have done that. It was pretty stupid," Daniel said. The kid looked at Daniel and glanced at Johnny.

"You must be the new people in 20, right?"

"Yeah, I guess so,"

"Freddy Fernandez, apartment 17," Johnny held on tightly to the box and managed to slip past his brother and Freddy.

"Daniel LaRusso," Johnny stumbled across the concrete and up the stairs. He thought for sure he'd fall and hurt himself. Somehow, he made it to the top successfully. Lucille saw him coming and opened the door for him.

"Hey, where's Daniel?" she asked. Johnny sat the box on the ground and looked up.

"He's talking to some friend he made," Johnny answered. Lucille looked out the door and smiled.

"He was afraid he wouldn't make any friends either. Oh, that's one of Daniel's boxes. His room is the one with two beds. You don't have any luggage, do you?" Johnny shook his head. "Don't worry. We'll go to the store tomorrow and get you some things for school and such." The one downfall of coming back to his biological family. Back in Tulsa, he never went to school. He wasn't very good at grasping things shoved at him quickly; he took his time learning stuff.

"What grade am I in?" Johnny asked. Lucille stopped what she was doing and turned to look at him.

"Well, what grade were you in last year?"

"I stopped going to school. I failed the ninth grade, and the teachers thought I was dumb," he answered sadly. Lucille looked at him sympathetically.

"You'll be in tenth grade then, but don't worry, if you struggle, you can ask Daniel for help. I'm sure he'd be more than willing to help you," Johnny resisted the urge to laugh. Daniel couldn't stand him. He didn't know what he did, but it was the truth. "Hey, sweetheart, can you do me a favor? Can you go to my room and see if the phones work? They're supposed to, but the lady told me they may not." Johnny nodded his head and went to find his mother's room. It was at the end of the hallway, and it wasn't much bigger than his and Daniel's room. Johnny walked over to the side table and picked up the phone. He held it to his ear and heard a dial tone. That's when he remembered. He pulled the phone away and dialed a very familiar number. When he finished, he held the phone back up to his ear. It rang a couple times. Three times. Four times. Finally, on the fifth ring, someone answered.

"Hello?" they answered. Johnny wanted to cry. It felt like forever since he heard his voice. He wanted to cry tears of joy.

"Soda, where's Ponyboy?"

XxXxXxX

Soda sat in his father's recliner with a big smile on his face. He was talking to someone on the phone, and everyone was curious to find out who it is.

"Johnny? Johnny Cade, is that you?" Soda asked happily. The whole gang's eyes widened. It might have been only a day, but to them, that day felt like forever. "You want to talk to Pony? He's right here." Soda pulled the phone away and handed it to his little brother.

"Johnny, is it really you?" Ponyboy asked eagerly.

"It's me, Pony,"

"How do you like California so far?"

"As long as I'm as far away from Daniel as possible, it's all right," Johnny answered him.

"Is he that bad?" Pony asked him sadly.

"I don't have anything against him, but he hates me for some reason. I don't even know what I did to the kid," Johnny explained.

"Maybe he needs time to adjust to the fact that he's got a younger brother. This is new to him too," Pony said. Johnny sighed on the other line.

"I guess you're right," he said softly.

"Well, Johnnycake, do you want to talk to the other guys?" There was a moment of silence before he answered. Ponyboy was starting to believe his best friend had hung up on him. Finally, Johnny's voice broke the silence.

"Hey, my mom is callin' me. I'll call y'all later," he said. "Bye, Ponyboy."

"Bye, Johnny . . . Hey, Johnny,"

"Yeah?"

"Stay gold," Johnny chuckled.

"Stay gold, Ponyboy. Stay gold," Seconds passed and Pony heard the dial tone. He placed the phone on the receiver and smiled. The pain of Johnny being gone had let up a little.

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**review loves. :)**


	12. Settling In

**Happy Friday!**

**I hope you enjoy chapter twelve. :) When you get done reading, please review. Three reviews for chapter thirteen. :) Reviews help me write, and they all make me smile.**

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The floor boards squeaked underneath Daniel's weight. He grabbed a pillow from his bed and launched it at his younger brother. Johnny was awake as soon as it hit him in the back. He rolled over and looked at his brother.

"Get up, tadpole. Mom wants to get going," he said. Johnny rubbed his eyes and sat up slowly.

"Why'd you call me tadpole?" Johnny asked, looking at Daniel. He shrugged his shoulders and sat on his bed.

"I don't know. Maybe it's because that's what Dad use to call me," Daniel answered, staring at the worn out wood.

"What happened to Dad?" Johnny asked curiously. Daniel looked at him sadly.

"He was shot. He was walking to his car one day, and this man came up to him demanding money. He didn't have any, but the guy didn't believe him, so he shot him. He was in the hospital for a week. I watched him die . . ." Tears rolled down Daniel's cheeks. He impatiently wiped them away and stood up. "Be out in five or else Mom is leaving without you." He said, exiting the room.

Johnny looked at the door sadly. He couldn't imagine what Daniel had gone through. He couldn't imagine the pain that he felt. He couldn't imagine watching a parent die.

He kicked the thin fleece blanket back and got out of bed. Johnny stepped into the joined living room and kitchen. Daniel was sitting on the couch absentmindedly nibbling on a piece of toast.

"How'd you sleep last night, dear?" Lucille asked, pushing a plate of toast towards him. Johnny shrugged his shoulders and grabbed a piece. He tore off little pieces and slowly ate the bread. He wasn't very hungry for once. "Daniel, are you almost ready?" Daniel looked up from the floor and nodded his head. Johnny stared at him, thinking about what he said.

_He was shot . . . I watched him die._

Is that the reason Daniel didn't like him? Did he for some reason feel Johnny was taking his dad's place?

Johnny finished off his bread and slipped his dirty, black Converse on. Lucille grabbed her purse, and Daniel put his Nike shoes on. Lucille looked at each boy happily.

"You two ready to go?" she asked. They both nodded their heads and walked to the car silently.

XxXxXxX

Ponyboy sat in his English class and stared at the board, waiting for his teacher to give them the assignment. Mr. Syme finished attendance and stood up.

"Okay, class . . ." he said, moving towards the middle of the board. All the students stopped what they were doing and watched him. "We're going to begin class differently today. I want you all to write a short story . . ." the class groaned. "I don't care how long it is, but it has to be at least five sentences. To make it easier, I'm going to give you a question to write about." Mr. Syme turned around and picked up a piece of chalk.

Ponyboy watched as he wrote the question. He was confused. He didn't understand why the class was complaining over writing a short story. It was better than their normal warm-up which consisted of answering twenty difficult English questions. Pony was smart, but even he had trouble answering them.

Mr. Syme moved away from the board to reveal the question. Pony read over it, and he finished it with a big smile.

_If you could go anywhere in the world, where would it be and why?_

Ponyboy grabbed a sheet of paper and a pencil. This was easy. He'd go to Reseda. He'd go see Johnny. That's exactly what Ponyboy put too.

_If I could go anywhere in the world, I wouldn't go very far. I would go to Reseda in California. That's where my best friend is. The other day he moved, and I already miss him so much. He moved out there with his biological family. He's originally from Newark, New Jersey, but he was adopted, and he lived in Tulsa . . ._

He went into great detail about Johnny. Surely, Mr. Syme would get bored reading what he had to say, but Pony didn't care. After they were finished, a couple kids raised their hands to share. But not Pony. He was too shy.

XxXxXxX

Johnny looked out the window at the building they were approaching. Daniel looked too, and he didn't look the least bit pleased.

"Why are we here?" he asked curiously.

"That lady with the dog said this was a great place to get cheap clothes that are in good condition. It's like Goodwill, but it's not," Lucille explained. She placed her keys in her purse and got out.

"Come on, tadpole. Your new purchases await," Daniel said, following his mother's actions. Johnny sighed. He didn't know what was worse: Daniel ignoring him or Daniel calling him 'tadpole'. Lucille and Daniel didn't even wait for Johnny. They were already in the store looking around. He got out of the car quickly and hurried to go find them.

"How about this shirt, Johnny?" Lucille asked, holding up a plain, white, button up shirt. Johnny shrugged. Daniel sighed impatiently.

"Just get him clothes. He'll have to wear them eventually," Daniel suggested. Lucille looked at him.

"Daniel, be patient. It won't take long," she turned her attention back towards Johnny. "Why don't you pick out some clothes that _you_ like?" Johnny slowly wandered around the store, scanning the racks of clothes.

He didn't know what was wrong with the clothes he had now. He wore them everyday back in Tulsa, and nobody seemed to mind. Here, it was like he was dressing for himself, and the people around him.

Johnny came to a rack with several plain colored shirts. He looked through them, and when he was finished, he had a total of four new shirts. One was white, one was dark blue, one was brown, and one was back. He held them tightly and quickly found his mother.

Lucille looked at his choices with a big smile.

"Is that what you want?" Johnny nodded his head happily. Lucille took them from him, and they went to check out.

Daniel stole the keys from him mom and ran to the car. He opened the driver's side and got in.

"Can you tell he's eager to drive?" Lucille asked chuckling. Johnny smiled and got into the back seat. Daniel started the car, and Johnny was a little nervous. He had never seen his older brother drive, and Johnny was afraid he was going to kill them all. They all got buckled up and situated. Daniel pulled out of the parking lot, and they began the scary drive home.

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**review loves. :)**

**three reviews for chapter thirteen. :)**


	13. Getting Accepted

**First off, I want to thank all of you for your reviews. :) I'm grateful for each and every one of them. So, thanks for that, guys!**

**Another thing, this will probably be my last update for a couple days. I'd really like to finish writing this story before posting anymore, but I'm going to work my butt off today to finish it. So, if I update tomorrow, you'll know that the story has been finished. I hope you all understand.**

**When you get done reading, please review. Your feedback makes my day, and it helps me with my story. :)**

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It was going on eleven o'clock. Tomorrow was the first day of school. He shouldn't be up; he should be fast asleep. Johnny rolled over to face the wall. The thought of going to school terrified him. He didn't know anybody around here. The only person he knew was Daniel, but he was a senior. Johnny was going to be all alone.

Ten minutes past when Daniel came into the bedroom. In the moonlight, Johnny could tell he was hiding his face for some reason.

"Daniel?" Johnny asked. He fell onto his bed and looked at his younger brother.

"What do you need, tadpole?"

"Why are you hiding your face from me? Did something happen at the party?" As soon as they arrived in California, Freddy invited Daniel to some 'Adios, summer' party. Johnny wasn't invited, but he didn't mind. He probably would've been the only tenth grader there.

"What are you talking about? I'm not hiding my face," Daniel answered smoothly. Johnny looked at him and frowned.

"I come from a gang of hoods; I know when someone is lying. Now, what happened?" Johnny asked again. Daniel rolled his eyes and crawled under his big blanket.

"If I tell you, do you promise you won't tell Mom?"

"I promise,"

"Okay, well, at the party, I was kicking a soccer ball around with this pretty girl, and her psycho boyfriend or something came up. He was being a complete asshole to her, so I went to help her get him off her case. The kid wasn't very happy about it, so we got into a fight, and he gave me a black eye," Daniel explained. Johnny stared at him blankly, trying to process the information. "And would you stop staring at me? It's creeping me out."

"Sorry . . ." Johnny mumbled. He sat up in his bed and turned to face Daniel. "So you got your butt kicked by some chick's boyfriend? What'd he do to you?"

"I don't know . . . The usual, I guess. He kicked me; he tripped me; he pushed me," he explained casually. He made it sound like it was normal to get beat up like that. But, in Johnny's case, it was normal.

"How do you plan on hiding your black eye from Mom?" Johnny asked curiously. Daniel looked at him and raised an eyebrow.

"Well, you were a greaser back in Tulsa . . . How'd you hide your black eyes from you folks?" Johnny fidgeted in his bed nervously.

"Well . . ." he said nervously. "My old man was always the one that gave them to me. Except for that one time that soc beat me up . . ." Johnny trailed off and absentmindedly traced his scar. Daniel mentally slapped himself.

He knew Johnny was abused. He remembered reading it in his first letter.

Daniel looked at Johnny funnily. His nose wrinkled in confusion.

"What in the world is a s-soc?" Daniel stammered, making sure he pronounced it like Johnny had. Johnny looked at him.

"You don't know what a soc is? They don't have 'em in Newark?" In the moonlight, he noticed Daniel shake his head. "A soc is the rich kids."

"Oh . . . Well we had plenty of those back in Newark, but we didn't call them socs. They were just normal people to us,"

"Wish it was that way in Tulsa," Johnny muttered. Daniel glanced over at the clock on his night stand. Big, red letters that read "11:30" looked him right in the eyes.

"Shit . . ." he muttered. Johnny's head snapped around.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"If we don't go to sleep soon, we're going to be late for our first day of school," Daniel explained. Both boys slid down into their bed. "Night, tadpole."

"G'night, Daniel," Johnny answered. He stared at the wall and smiled in spite of himself. Daniel was starting to accept him. He was no longer ignoring him, and he was starting to act like he enjoyed Johnny's existence. They still weren't buddy-buddy, but it was a start. A wonderful start.

XxXxXxX

Pony's first thought when he woke up that morning was about Johnny. He remember his best friend mentioning them being in Reseda for two days before it was time to start the school year. Pony couldn't help but feel a tad jealous.

While Johnny was starting school today, Ponyboy had started a week and a half ago. In the end, he knew it'd be worth it since they got out the week before Memorial Day. He wasn't complaining about that.

He crawled out of bed and quickly got dressed. School was a week and a half in, so he saw no point in wearing his best clothes anymore. Besides, he didn't have any more. All his clothes now were what he had worn during the summer when he was spending his time outside.

Ponyboy grabbed his backpack and went to join his family in the kitchen. When he stepped onto the cool tile, he realized him, Soda, and his mother were the only ones up.

"Where are Darry and Dad?" Ponyboy asked curiously, taking a seat across the table from Soda.

"Dad's at work . . ." Soda said, stuffing some egg into his mouth.

". . . and Darry is asleep still," Mrs. Curtis finished, serving her youngest some breakfast. Even though Pony enjoyed school a little, he couldn't help but feel jealous that Darry had already graduated. But, as his mother always says, "Darry did his time; you have to do yours."

Pony picked up his fork and began digging into his food. It was then in that moment that he realized just how hungry he was.

"Slow down, Pony. You eat like a horse," Soda teased, making a jab at his name. Pony glared at his older brother and swallowed his food.

"Ain't you so funny?" Soda smiled and nodded his head.

"I'm hilarious. Someday you'll hear me on the radio. I'm going to be a comedian," Ponyboy smirked.

"You'll be successful one, too. Nobody will take you seriously with a name like yours," he shot back. From the sink, Mrs. Curtis stifled a laugh. Soda stared at his younger brother with wide eyes.

"Well played, young one. Well played," he said. Pony felt accomplished. With a morning like this, he knew it was going to be a great day.

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**review loves. :)**

**next update: in a couple days or whenever I finish writing this story. :)**


	14. First Day Jitters

**I finished writing this story out yesterday! I can tell you it's around twenty-six chapters too. :)**

**I don't know if any of you have noticed, but I posted the first chapter of my new fanfic based on my one-shot, "Good-Bye, Cherry" So, maybe you guys will check it out since you love me? :)**

**I hope you all find chapter fourteen entertaining. When you get done reading, please review and tell me how it was. Feedback is my fuel to write. No joke.**

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Daniel entered the kitchen and headed straight for the fridge. Johnny watched him grab the orange juice and drink straight from the carton. Lucille moved past him and dished herself some breakfast.

"Sit down; eat some breakfast," she told Daniel. He shook his head and sat the carton of orange juice on the table. "Come on, it takes energy to be charming."

"No, I'm not hungry," he explained. Johnny looked at him and smirked. Daniel was covering his black eye with a pair of tinted sunglasses. Smart idea. Lucille looked at him and frowned.

"Well at least take off the glasses,"

"Ah, Mom, it's the California look," Lucille pursed her lips and sighed.

"Come on, I want to see your baby browns," Daniel looked at her and frowned.

"Ma, enough with the baby browns," Lucille got up from the table and moved towards him. Both of them got into an argument about the sunglasses. Finally, she pulled them off his face and gasped.

"Who did this to you?"

"I hit a curb with my bike; I wore the glasses so you wouldn't worry," Daniel reached up to touch his bruise. "It's fine."

"Don't touch it," she scolded, hitting his hand away. "Do you want to stay home from school?"

"No, I'll be fine. Now I have to go, I love you," Daniel leaned forward and kissed his mother. "Come on, Johnny, or we're going to be late." Johnny got up from the table and grabbed his backpack. He hurried out the door and ran to catch up with his brother.

XxXxXxX

Daniel caressed his bruise despite the fact that his mother told him not to. Johnny didn't say anything. They were finally starting to get on good terms with one another, and he didn't want to mess that up.

"I hope that kid doesn't go to school with us," Daniel said, running a hand through his fluffy hair. Johnny only shrugged.

"I wouldn't have to worry about him. He's not in my grade," he answered. Daniel chuckled and rolled his eyes playfully.

"Well aren't you lucky?" Johnny shrugged.

"I guess, but you'd be lucky too if you would've let that girl handle that guy on her own,"

XxXxXxX

Daniel and Johnny stepped into the office. For it being the first day of school, it wasn't very crowded much to Daniel's relief. They quickly gave him a folder, and now it was Johnny's turn to receive his.

"What's your last name, hun?" the secretary asked, looking at him.

"Johnny Cade," he answered softly. The lady filed through some papers and sighed. She scanned through them a couple more times before giving up.

"There isn't a Cade in here, sweetheart," she told him. Daniel heard the whole conversation and stepped up.

"Try Johnny LaRusso," Daniel suggested. She nodded her head and scanned through the folders again.

"Aha . . ." she said, pulling a folder out. It looked exactly like Daniel's. "Here you go, darling." Johnny accepted the folder and thanked her. On a sticker in the top right hand corner read the words Johnny LaRusso.

_Johnny LaRusso_

It would definitely take some getting use to.

The office began filling up. Daniel grabbed onto Johnny's sleeve and pulled him out the door.

"I guess Mom changed your last name," he spoke, opening his folder. Johnny copied his actions. On the inside, he found a bunch of important forms, a map of the school, and his schedule.

_Health - Mr. Morrison_

_Geometry - Ms. Ritchie_

_History - Mrs. Snow_

_Honors Biology - Mr. Henderson_

_Lunch_

_English - Mrs. Stacey_

_Physical Education - Mr. Kelley_

Daniel looked over at Johnny's schedule. Johnny looked at his in confusion. Why was he in honors biology? Wasn't that for smart kids? He wasn't smart.

"Hey, you're in honors bio too," Daniel smiled.

"Are we in the same class?" Johnny asked hopefully.

"No, I have it third hour, but we have the same lunch," he answered. Daniel looked around for a clock. "Come on, we're going to be late for first hour." Johnny and Daniel said good-bye and went to find their first hour classes.

XxXxXxX

Johnny took a seat in biology and looked around nervously. He was still positive he didn't belong in here. He wasn't even sure how he got in to begin with. A couple more kids entered the room, but one in particular caught Johnny's eye.

He was tall with blonde hair and cold eyes. He looked scary and intimidating.

The bell rang, and the teacher approached the front of the room. He looked around his class happily with a big smile.

"Good morning! I'm your teacher, Mr. Henderson. I'm sure all of you are glad to be back at school," the class groaned in response. Mr. Henderson continued smiling and picked up a piece of paper. He held a pencil in his left hand firmly and looked towards his students. "I'm going to do attendance. When I call your name, say here." Mr. Henderson started calling his students names.

". . . Johnny LaRusso," Mr. Henderson called out after some many minutes. Johnny raised his hand.

"I'm here," he called out shyly. The teacher smiled and went on.

From the back of the classroom, the tall kid with blonde hair and cold eyes smirked.

LaRusso, the one that tried to steal his girl, had a brother. This was perfect.

The kid leaned over to his friend and whispered in his ear, "LaRusso, that's the kid who tried to take Ali. Up there is his brother."

His friend looked at him funnily. He was obviously confused.

"What's that have to do with anything?" The blonde-hair kid smirked.

"We're going to make his life hell. LaRusso will have to choose Ali or his brother. Until he chooses his brother, his brother is in for it," he explained. An evil smirk formed on his friend's face.

"That sounds excellent,"

* * *

**So, if you haven't seen The Karate Kid, you should all know that there is a character named Johnny. Since Johnny Cade's last name has been changed to LaRusso, the bully, Johnny, will be referred to as "Lawrence" to avoid any confusion. (But there will be a rare occasion where he is actually called Johnny). Hopefully that doesn't confuse you anymore. **

**Lawrence = the leader of the Cobra Kai clan. :)**

**review loves. :)**


	15. Soccer Try-Outs

**I'm having a little difficulty figuring out what to do with my third chapter of "Two of Us", so to stall, I'm updating this story. But I will promise a chapter of my Cherry / Steve story later. After that chapter, the rest should be a breeze. :)**

**When you get done reading, please review. C'mon, do it for Johnny. ;)**

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own The Outsider or The Karate Kid**

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Johnny exited the gym quietly with his head down. The day was over; he had survived his first day in a new school. He hadn't made any new friends, but that was okay with him. He didn't want friends. He had a bunch back in Tulsa. Johnny noticed one thing, however. He had physical education with another kid named Johnny. This Johnny was the same intimidating kid that was in his biology class. Wonderful.

"Johnny," someone called. His head shot up, and he noticed his older brother weaving in and out of people to reach him. "Hey, soccer tryouts are in a few minutes. Are you going to start heading home?" Johnny looked around at the other students. "It's only going to be an hour and a half."

"I'll go with you. I dunno how to get home," said Johnny, rubbing the back of his neck. A slight smile formed on Daniel's lips.

"Why don't you try out too?" Johnny looked up at him with wide eyes. "I bet you'd be good at it. That way you won't be entirely bored on the bleachers." Johnny kicked some dirt around and nodded his head.

"Okay, I'll try it," he said softly.

XxXxXxX

Johnny was lost in his own world kicking a soccer ball around. This was fun. He was glad Daniel talked him into trying out. Johnny kicked the ball really hard, and it went flying to the other side of the field. He was about to go grab it when he heard shouting.

"Look what he's doing to Bobby!" someone shouted loudly. He looked towards the noise and saw Daniel rolling on the ground with someone. Daniel sat on top of him and pulled his fist back. He released and punched the guy.

The coach quickly ran over to the two boys. He grabbed the back of Daniel's shirt and ripped him off the kid easily. The coach looked furious. He said something to Daniel, but Johnny couldn't hear him. Daniel started walking off the field.

"Come on, Johnny. We're going home!" he shouted. Johnny left the soccer ball and ran after his brother.

XxXxXxX

"I got it!" Darry shouted. He plopped into his dad's recliner and answered the phone. Ponyboy sat on the couch, homework in his lap, watching the television. Even though Two-Bit wasn't there, the Curtis boys were still watching Mickey Mouse. "Ponyboy, it's for you." Pony absentmindedly sat his notebook onto the couch and got up. He slowly moved towards the phone not taking his eyes off the small screen.

Darry rolled his eyes and handed Pony the phone. He got up from the recliner and wandered into the kitchen. To help his mother with dinner more than likely.

"Hello," Pony answered half heartedly. His attention was still fixed on Mickey, but once he recognized the voice, he snapped out of his trance.

"Hey, Pony," Johnny answered. Ponyboy frowned as he took a seat in his dad's seat.

"Johnny, what's wrong?" he feared the worst. Was his family abusing him like his old parents? Was his family ignoring him? What was wrong?

"Nothing," Johnny answered.

"Johnny . . ."

"No, I'm fine. I promise, it's Daniel that's upset," Ponyboy sighed. Emotions seemed to transfer over to Johnny. If someone around him was upset; he took on the emotion as well.

"What happened with Daniel?" Johnny hesitated as if he were looking around to make sure Daniel wasn't within ear shot.

"Well, there were soccer tryouts today after school, and he talked me into going, but something happened, and the coach had to pull him off this kid because he punched him. The coach yelled at him, I think . . ." Johnny explained.

"Whoa . . ." Pony said softly. Johnny stopped talking.

"What?" he asked.

"I've only seen this kid once, but he doesn't seem like the type to get physical," Pony explained. Johnny chuckled.

"Looks can be deceiving," Pony stared at the ground and slowly nodded his head.

"Hey, Johnny?"

"Yeah, Pony?"

"How old is Daniel?"

"He's seventeen," Pony was shocked. He didn't look old enough to be seventeen. "Why?" Ponyboy shrugged.

"I dunno. I was curious I guess," he answered. The front door opened. Pony glanced up to see Dallas entering his house. "Hey, Dal." Dallas looked at Pony and smirked.

"Who you talkin' to, kid?" Dally asked curiously.

"Johnny called," Dally's eyes widened. "You want to talk to him?" Pony held the phone out to the older boy. He accepted it with a big smile.

XxXxXxX

Johnny sat at the old, wooden table with the phone in his hand. He had nothing else to do, so he decided to call his friends. He talked to Ponyboy for a couple minutes before he stopped answering. Johnny sighed and almost hung up until another voice broke the silence.

"Johnny?" It was Dallas. Johnny felt tears well up in his eyes.

"D-Dally?" he asked.

"It's me, kid. How are you likin' California?" Johnny sighed and wiped his eyes.

"It's fine. I really miss you guys though," he answered.

"We miss you too," More tears formed in Johnny's eyes. He took a deep breath, but when Dallas started talking again, he lost it. It took Dally by surprise. "Whoa, Johnny, are you all right?" he asked. Johnny sniffled and made a noise in the back of his throat. "Are you crying? Johnny, don't cry."

"I just r-really m-m-miss you guys," Johnny spit out. Every word came out in a hiccup. It was hard to speak. Johnny took a deep breath to try and calm himself down.

"Johnny, calm down. Don't pass out on me," Dallas said. Johnny wiped at his eyes and continued hiccupping. "Are you going to be fine?"

"I'll be f-fine," he answered.

"Okay, I think Ponyboy wants to talk to you again. I'll talk to you later, Johnnycake," Dallas stopped talking, and moments later, Pony started speaking again.

"Are you all right?" he asked curiously. Johnny took a deep breath and sighed.

"I'll be fine, but I have to go now. I'll call later,"

"Stay gold, Johnny . . ." He placed the phone on its stand and got up from the table. He felt like he was going to throw up. Johnny wandered into his and Daniel's bedroom. Daniel was lying on his bed. He looked up from a notebook.

"Whoa, what's wrong, tadpole?" Daniel asked, sitting up quickly.

"Nothin'," Johnny managed to say. He continued towards his bed. Johnny picked up the pillow and found exactly what he was looking for. Dally's ring. He picked up the cold metal and observed it. Johnny felt the tears coming back along with the annoying hiccups. He suddenly felt weak and collapsed onto the bed. This time, he didn't bother holding anything back.

"Johnny, are you all right?" Daniel asked again. He sounded so concerned that it would've shocked Johnny, but he was too heartbroken to notice. Tears dripped down his cheeks. Daniel got up from his bed and slowly approached Johnny. "Johnny?" Daniel asked, taking a seat next to him. "Are you okay?" Johnny shook his head weakly.

Seconds passed, and his body started to violently shake with sobs. He made a fist tightly around Dally's ring and cried. Daniel wrapped an arm around his younger brother and tried to calm him down.

"Shh, Johnny, calm down," he said softly. Johnny leaned against Daniel and began to cry harder. Daniel frowned and held his younger brother tightly. He tried everything to comfort the younger boy. But nothing worked. Johnny continued to cry. Daniel just sat there, holding Johnny close to him and did what any other big brother should do for their sibling. Be there for them.

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**review loves. :)**


	16. No End in Sight

**PLEASE READ:**** Those of you that are fans of ****_Two of Us_****, there is a good chance that I won't be updating today. For once, my schedule is pretty busy, and I still have to write the next chapter, but I promise it'll be updated by tomorrow or Friday. :)**

**I hope you find this chapter amusing. When you get done reading, please review. It means a bunch, and your reviews make my day. :)**

* * *

The following week, Johnny got paired up with the other Johnny for a biology project. Johnny was nervous. That was the kid who was bullying his brother. He was the one who coaxed that Bobby kid to trip Daniel preventing him from being on the soccer team.

Also, he and his friends took to harassing him outside of school. The other day, Daniel was riding his bike home. Johnny and his friends rode up beside him on their motorcycles. They closed in around him; they forced him down the steep hill.

Daniel threw his bike away. His forehead was badly injured and bloody. It was absolutely disgusting. Sure, Johnny had seen a lot more in Tulsa, but something about that made his stomach churn.

Daniel was furious too. He looked like he was about to punch a wall. Lucille had to force him to sit down. She had her arm wrapped around him and was talking to him in a calm, gentle voice. Eventually, she had gotten through to him. When that happened, he let loose. He buried his face in his hands and cried his eyes out.

It not only broke Lucille's heart, but it broke Johnny's as well.

XxXxXxX

When Johnny figured out the project would have to be worked on at home, he became nervous. He couldn't bring other Johnny into the same house as his brother. He couldn't go to Johnny's house either. How would he explain that to Daniel?

The sharp noise of the bell brought Johnny out of his thoughts. He packed up his belongings like the other students. When he realized he got to go to lunch, he picked up the pace. Johnny slipped his arm into the handle of his backpack and let it drop onto his shoulder. He then hurried towards the door to meet Daniel for lunch.

"LaRusso, wait . . ." someone called. Johnny stopped moving and turned to look at who called him. It was the other Johnny. The tanned boy froze; in response, Johnny Lawrence smirked. "We're doing this project at _your_ house. Surely, your _brother_ won't mind." Lawrence and his friends walked off, laughing and high-fiving each other. Johnny gulped and slowly headed towards the cafeteria.

XxXxXxX

Johnny got his food and went to find Daniel. He was with that blonde girl again. The girl that dated Johnny's project partner. Johnny rolled his eyes but moved towards them slowly. His grip on his lunch tray tightened when he heard the laughter of Daniel's bullies. He focused his attention on his brother. Johnny noticed the other Johnny stick a piece of blueberry pie in Daniel's seat. He stopped in his tracks and watched what happened.

Daniel took a seat in the pie. It swished underneath his weight. Daniel made no effort to get up. Instead, he sat there. His facial expression turned sour. He finally threw his fork onto the table and sat up. A big purple stain was on his pants. Daniel grabbed a handful of pie and walked towards Lawrence.

He was too busy laughing at his friends to notice Daniel moving towards him. It was too late anyway. Daniel smeared the squished pie all over Johnny's face and shirt. The blonde reacted quickly. He pushed Daniel away, and the two got into it.

A couple lunch monitors pushed Johnny out of the way to remove the fighting boys from each other.

"That's enough, you two! Knock it off!" one of the monitors yelled. One grabbed both of Daniel's arms and pulled him away.

"What happened?" the one holding Daniel commanded. Johnny looked at the lunch monitors innocently.

"I don't know. I was just sitting there laughing with my friends when he came up to me and did _this_," Lawrence lied, pointing to his shirt. Johnny rolled his eyes. The lunch monitors nodded their heads and turned towards Daniel.

"As for you . . ."

"He started it! He put the pie underneath me when I sat down!" Daniel exclaimed in disbelief.

"As for you . . ." the man continued, ignoring Daniel. "You're going to the principal's office." The monitor released. "Get going." He commanded. Daniel rolled his eyes and stormed off to the principal's office.

XxXxXxX

Lawrence approached Johnny in gym that afternoon. Only one of his friends was with him, but Johnny was still afraid beyond belief. Lawrence stared down at him with his usual smirk.

"LaRusso, you need to control your brother," he said. Johnny felt himself starting to get angry. "He got a little crazy at lunch."

"He didn't do anything," Johnny snapped. Lawrence's face didn't change. He felt a little foolish yelling at this kid like he did. Johnny never acted that way. "I saw everything."

Lawrence continued laughing and walked away. Johnny sighed and walked over to the bleachers. He didn't like that kid. He didn't want to do his biology project with him. Mr. Kelly blew his whistle, and the students all ran over towards him. Johnny went because he wanted to make this period go by as fast as possible.

XxXxXxX

Lucille was in the kitchen when Johnny got home, and Daniel's stained pants were lying on the worn down couch. Johnny tossed his backpack next to his brother's pants.

"Where's Daniel?" he asked, looking at his mother. Lucille turned around from the stove.

"Oh, he went to go thank the maintenance man for fixing his bike," she explained. Johnny unzipped his backpack and grabbed his biology folder. Along with the project, Mr. Henderson gave them homework. Johnny grabbed his pencil and moved to the table. It was time to struggle.

XxXxXxX

Lucille stepped into her boys' room. Johnny was lying on his bed, doodling in his math notebook.

"Hey, I'm going to get Daniel. I shouldn't be gone long. Don't stay up too much longer," she explained. Johnny looked up from his notebook and smiled.

"I'll get ready for bed now," he said. Lucille returned his smile and went to go grab her oldest. Johnny closed his notebook and tossed it onto the floor along with his pencil. He got underneath the covers and closed his eyes. Too bad he wasn't tired.

Fifteen minutes later, Daniel stepped into the room. Johnny opened his eyes and looked at him. He actually looked happy. For once since Lawrence started bullying him, Daniel looked happy.

"Good night, tadpole," Daniel said, taking his pants off. He unbuttoned his shirt and slipped into bed.

"Good night, Daniel," Johnny answered, closing his eyes. Within moments, both boys were asleep.

* * *

**The part where Johnny sticks the pie underneath Daniel so he sits in it was actually a part of the movie, but they edited it out. I found a video of it online, and I thought it'd be fun to write, so I included it into my story. :) A little interesting background information in case you didn't know!**

**review loves. :)**


	17. The Halloween Dance

**I hope you all like this chapter. :) When you get done reading, please review. Your feedback makes my day. :)**

**Also, I'd like to apologize for the lacking of the gang in this story. I know for sure they'll be reappearing here again shortly. **

**If any of you are interested, I posted a one-shot earlier based on Soda and Sandy's relationship. It'd make my day if you guys checked that out ****_and_**** if you checked out my story, Divine. :)**

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Johnny stepped into their apartment holding his cheek. He was on the verge of tears. He and Lawrence were working on their biology project. Johnny was defending his brother, and he accidentally made a comment about Ali, the girl Daniel liked. Lawrence got angry. He was furious. He then slapped Johnny. Johnny didn't see it coming. He stared back at his partner with an open mouth and wide eyes.

Daniel came into the living room. Johnny quickly removed his hand, so his brother wouldn't suspect anything. Daniel looked at him suspiciously; Johnny hoped he didn't notice his tear filled eyes.

"What's wrong, tadpole?" Daniel asked. Johnny swore to himself under his breath. He avoided eye contact, but he could feel Daniel's eyes burning into him. "Johnny . . .?" he asked again, moving towards his brother.

"Leave me alone," Johnny responded softly. Daniel stopped moving and looked at him funnily.

"Johnny, why is your cheek all red . . ? Wait, Johnny did that to you? Didn't he?" Daniel somehow found those two were partners. He was furious for the rest of the day.

"No, I-I . . . Fell," Johnny lied. Daniel sighed loudly and crossed his arms. Johnny tried his luck and glanced at his older brother.

"Don't lie to me. I know he did that to you. I'm going to talk to him about that tomorrow," Daniel mumbled to himself. He spun around on his heel and stormed off, leaving Johnny all alone.

XxXxXxX

Daniel stormed into first hour angrily. The fact that Johnny had the nerve to hit his younger brother sent him through the roof. Daniel approached the table holding the Cobra Kai members. Normally, he'd be nervous, but the adrenaline that was coursing through his veins rejected the emotion.

Johnny looked up at him. Daniel looked him straight in the eyes. His friends stopped laughing and waited to see what went down.

"I know what you did to my brother," Daniel said in a low voice. Johnny smirked. "Don't you dare touch my brother again."

"What if I do? What are you going to do about it LaRusso?" Johnny asked. "Oh wait . . . There's _nothing_ you can do."

"You wait and see, Lawrence. Touch him again, and you'll regret it," Daniel stood back up and went to his seat.

Back at their table, Jimmy, Dutch, Bobby, and Tommy stared at their leader, Johnny. Each of them were shocked that Daniel had the nerve to threaten him.

"Are you going to leave the kid alone?" Jimmy asked curiously.

"We're going to leave his brother alone. If my parents found out I was bullying a lower classman, they'd probably make me quit karate . . ." Johnny trailed off.

"What about Daniel?" Dutch asked. Johnny looked at him with his infamous smirk.

"He doesn't get a break. After all, he did take my girl," he explained. The warning bell rang, and Mr. Bender entered the room.

XxXxXxX

Daniel brought Johnny down to meet his friend. Johnny was nervous. He didn't like meeting new people. Daniel still insisted he went; no matter how many times he protested. They reached their location. Daniel looked at him with a big smile before pushing the door open. They both entered a workshop. Inside the workshop was an old man who appeared to be making jack-o-lanterns.

"Mr. Miyagi, this is my younger brother, Johnny," the old man looked up with a smile.

"Miyagi didn't know Daniel-San have younger brother," he spoke. Daniel pushed the door in and pulled Johnny inside.

"I didn't know either until a couple months ago," Daniel explained. He walked over to the man's fridge and opened it up, taking a can of pop out. "You want something?" Johnny shook his head.

"Daniel-San, you go to Halloween dance?" Mr. Miyagi asked. Daniel took a seat on a wooden stool.

"Eh, maybe if I went as the invisible man," Daniel answered. Johnny tuned out both of them and looked around the shop. It was small and sort of cozy. More than his home in Tulsa was. Johnny liked it. Johnny also liked Mr. Miyagi.

XxXxXxX

Johnny stayed close to Daniel's shower costume. How he ever convinced Johnny to go to the stupid dance was beyond him. Johnny didn't dress up though. He didn't have anything to dress up as.

Music was blaring when they entered. It reminded Johnny of one of the few times he went to Buck's. This music sounded sort of decent. Not as bad as the crap that Buck played. That stuff was downright horrendous.

Johnny stood next to Daniel and noticed Ali approach both of them. She was smiling at the costume with a flower in her hand.

"Help me, help me. My flower needs watering," she said, sticking the flower into the curtain. Daniel pulled her inside to, what Johnny assumed was, talk. He looked around at the different costumes.

There were a couple bees. A group of skeletons. A ninja. A guy was dressed as Spider-Man. There was even a guy dressed as chicken.

The chicken held onto a basket. It looked like he was throwing eggs at students. He was moving this way, and Johnny was afraid he'd get pelted with one of those eggs. He didn't want that.

The shower curtain opened again. Ali stood there with Daniel's arm wrapped around her shoulders.

"Look at this chicken. He's wild!" Daniel exclaimed. The chicken noticed him. He picked up an egg and tossed it towards them. It hit Daniel in the head and dripped down into his face. He pulled away from Ali, who was laughing. "I'll be right back." Daniel muttered, heading to the bathroom. Ali let him leave and tried to calm down. She noticed Johnny and gave him a smile.

"I'm guessing you're the famous Johnny," she said loudly. Johnny's eyes darted around the gym before finally making eye contact with her. He nodded his head shyly. "Hi, I'm Ali." Johnny stared at her and finally started to smile.

"I know. Daniel talks about you a lot," he replied. Ali's smile grew bigger.

"Does he really?" Johnny nodded. Ali reached out and grabbed his hand. "Come on. I'll take you to meet my friends." Johnny followed her obediently.

Her friends scanned Johnny. Neither of them looked happy that he was there. Thankfully they didn't say anything. Ali pulled him up beside her. She looked at them with a big smile.

"Susan . . . Barbara . . . This is Daniel's younger brother, Johnny," Ali introduced. Neither of the girls answered. One of them then opened their mouth to say something, but they were cut off by screams and shouts.

"Watch out! Out of my way!" All of them turned their attention towards the shouts. Daniel came running through the crowd. "Out of my way!"

"Daniel, what's going on?" Ali asked.

"It's coming around," he merely answered, handing her the shower head. Daniel didn't stop. He ran past them with a group of skeletons following close behind. Ali glanced at the shower head before holding it out in front of her. She caught off of the skeleton's feet and tripped them. The whole group fell to the ground.

Johnny glanced from the door, to the skeletons, to Ali. She looked back at him with a slight frown. Johnny turned around on his heel and took off for the door. He had to find Daniel.

Outside, he found Daniel. He ran out into the road and stopped in front of a car. He stared at it blankly; Johnny thought for sure the car would hit him. Instead, it swerved out of the way and hit a car heading the opposite way.

Daniel snapped out of his trance and turned around. He took off down the street and jumped onto the hood of a car that was coming towards him. Johnny didn't know how he did it, but Daniel managed to ditch his costume. The skeletons pushed past Johnny and took off down the road after his brother.

Johnny sighed to himself and followed behind the group. He had to make sure his older brother was all right.

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**Mr. Miyagi's dialogue was pretty hard to write, but I tried my best, so you have to give me that. ;)**

**review loves. :)**


	18. The Stuff You Do To Me

**I think I'm going to start alternating the stories I update every day. I feel like two stories a day is a little much. :) I'm going to try and update Two of Us today, but after today, one day with be this story, and the next day with be Two of Us, and that will continue. Divine is almost over with, so that'll be updated whenever I feel like doing so. I hope you all understand. :)**

**When you get done reading, please review this story. It means a lot to me. Your feedback really makes my day.**

* * *

Johnny hid behind one of the trees. The skeletons had reached Daniel, and when he tried to climb over the fence, they ripped him off. One of the guys spun him around and allowed Lawrence to get in a few kicks. Johnny felt he should get out there and help, but who knows what they'd do to him. Plus, it wouldn't be fun to explain to their mom.

Daniel was barely conscious. Those boys were really hurting him; they could probably kill him.

Lawrence kicked him, and Daniel fell to the grass. Dutch grabbed a hold of him and picked him up roughly. One of the boys looked from Daniel to Lawrence .

"Leave him alone, man. He's had enough!" the kid exclaimed, looking back to Daniel.

His whole body was limp. He was pretty bad off.

"Shut up, Bobby," Dutch scolded, holding Daniel up. Bobby turned towards Lawrence .

"Johnny, leave him alone, man. He's had enough!" Bobby shouted again, holding a finger out towards their unofficial leader.

"I'll decide when he's had enough!" Lawrence exclaimed in response.

"Look at him, man. He can't even stand up!"

"That don't mean squat," Dutch interrupted. Lawrence turned back to the barely unconscious boy. He held his hands up on a defensive position. Dutch held him up and waited for the blow. Lawrence spun around and went to kick him until a man jumped from the fence and pushed Daniel out of the way.

Johnny stepped out from behind the tree. It was Mr. Miyagi. The skeletons looked at each other before attacking. Johnny watched in amazement as Mr. Miyagi defeated all the boys. He looked at Johnny and smiled before turning around to Daniel.

Mr. Miyagi leaned down and picked him up. He put Daniel over his shoulder and unlocked the fence.

"Come on, Johnny-San," he said. He carefully stepped over the Cobra Kai members and followed the older man to his work room.

"Will he be okay?" Johnny asked, catching up to the man and his brother.

"Daniel-San be fine," he explained. Johnny held the door open, and all three of them entered the room.

XxXxXxX

Johnny was thankful when Daniel started to wake up. Mr. Miyagi placed this cloth on his forehead, and the next second, he was wide awake.

"This stinks, man. What is this?" Daniel asked, pulling the cloth away. Mr. Miyagi pushed it back against his forehead.

"Smell bad, heal good," he answered simply. Daniel obeyed and sat up. He looked around the room and frowned.

"Where's Spider-Man?" Daniel asked curiously. Mr. Miyagi chuckled and smiled. Daniel stared at him. "You? You're the one who saved me?" Mr. Miyagi merely nodded his head. Both of them started talking about karate, leaving Johnny to feel like a third wheel.

"I'm heading back to the apartment," Johnny announced, slipping out of the room. Neither of them seemed to notice.

XxXxXxX

Lucille was sitting on the couch when Johnny reached their apartment. He stepped inside, but she didn't even seem to notice.

"Where's Daniel?" she asked, not removing her eyes from her book. Johnny shut the door behind him and took his shoes off.

"He's with Mr. Miyagi," Johnny answered, heading to the fridge. Lucille looked at him.

"This late at night?" Johnny nodded his head and kept his mouth shut. He wasn't about to tell his mother what had happened at the dance. "Is he all right?" Johnny nodded again.

"He's fine, Mom," he lied. Daniel wasn't fine. He wasn't all right. He was hurt. Those kids would've killed him if it wasn't for Mr. Miyagi. Johnny suddenly felt sick and shut the fridge door.

"Are you going to bed?"

"Yeah," Johnny answered weakly. "Good night, Mom."

"Sweet dreams, Johnny. I love you," Johnny crossed his arms over his stomach and hurried to his room. He hoped Daniel would be home soon. He felt sick over what had happened that night, and he need Daniel's reassurance. He needed to be reassured that Daniel would be fine.

XxXxXxX

"Johnny . . . Johnny, are you awake?" someone whispered loudly. Johnny stirred slightly and rolled over to be on his back. He cracked his eyes open. Daniel was staring down at him.

What could he possibly want at this hour?

"What do you want?" Johnny asked, sitting up. Daniel looked at him and smiled.

"We're going to the Cobra Kai dojo tomorrow," he smirked. Johnny looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

"What? Why?"

"We're going to stick it to Johnny. He's finally going to get what he deserves. Mr. Miyagi is going to talk to his sensei," Daniel explained. Johnny rubbed his eyes tiredly.

"Why do I have to go?"

"Because I want you to come with," he answered. Johnny sighed.

"That's not a good enough reason,"

"It's a good enough reason for me. So, will you go?" Johnny sighed again.

"I guess," he answered.

"Awesome, now go back to sleep. We have to get up early tomorrow,"

XxXxXxX

Johnny stared out the window as Daniel drove the three to the karate dojo. He wouldn't lie; Johnny was actually nervous_for_ Daniel. Who knew what was going to happen to him. Especially after last night.

Daniel pulled up along side of curb. Johnny looked around anxiously. Right across the street from where his mother worked was the dojo. Daniel looked out the window for any cars before opening his door.

"You come in, Johnny-San?" Mr. Miyagi asked, looking at him. Johnny looked past him and glanced at Daniel, who only shrugged his shoulders.

"Nah, I'll stay in the truck," he answered quietly. Mr. Miyagi shrugged his shoulders and got out. Daniel shut the door behind him, and the two headed off to the dojo.

XxXxXxX

Daniel was furious when him and Mr. Miyagi came back. He was mumbling something about how he was screwed and all this good stuff.

"Nothing to worry about, Daniel-San," Mr. Miyagi assured him. "Miyagi train you."

Daniel started the truck and pulled off. Johnny guessed they were going back to Miyagi's house to begin Daniel's training. Johnny sighed and leaned his forehead against the window.

He didn't mind. He didn't have anything better to do on a Saturday.

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**please review loves. :)**


	19. Training Begins

**This is where it all begins. This is the chapter when Daniel begins his karate training. :)**

**When you get done reading, please review. It makes my day!**

* * *

Mr. Miyagi gave Daniel his first karate lessons. He was to wash all of the cars that sat in his yard and then wax them. The best part, he had to make circular motions while doing the waxing. No up or down movements.

Daniel was confused; heck, Johnny was too. He'd never seen karate until now.

Mr. Miyagi wandered off saying the same phrase over and over again. "Wax on, wax off. Wax on, wax off," Johnny wasn't sure what he meant, so he let it slide by.

Johnny leaned against the car, not caring if his clothes got dirty or not. He was use to it anyway. Daniel picked up a sponge and began to wash the bright yellow car.

"Nice headband," Johnny commented. Daniel looked up at him and glared. "What? I'm being serious." He glanced back at the car and continued washing it.

"How does this help with karate?" Daniel asked Johnny. He shrugged in response.

"I dunno. This is the first time I've ever seen karate," A humorless laugh escaped Daniel's lips.

"He's probably not even training me. He's probably just saying this is training, but instead, I'm doing stuff that needs to be done, but he doesn't want to do it himself," Daniel answered coldly.

"I don't think Mr. Miyagi would do that," Johnny answered. "Maybe this really is teaching you karate." Daniel sighed.

"I don't know. Only time will tell, I guess,"

XxXxXxX

It was dark by the time Daniel finished his first activity. He dropped the sponge and looked over towards Johnny.

"I'm going to tell him I'm done. We can leave afterwards," Johnny nodded and watched Daniel walk off into the house.

To keep himself occupied, he wandered around the yard. He admired the different cars. Though, in his opinion, a couple looked like they belonged to socs.

Those were Johnny's least favorites for multiple reasons.

Daniel returned moments later with a slight smile on his face. Johnny looked at him funnily.

"He wasn't awake," he chuckled. "The way he's sleeping was amusing though." Daniel started walking towards the gate with Johnny following behind.

"Do you know how to get home?" Daniel shook his head and frowned.

"Nope but I've got enough change that we can call Mom if we get lost and come across a payphone," he answered. Johnny shrugged. That was good enough for him.

XxXxXxX

Johnny heard what they said. He heard every negative thing that Lawrence and his friend said about his brother. It really bothered him too.

The one that stuck out to him the most was when Tommy called him a worm. Johnny was exactly sure what it meant, but he was sure it wasn't a compliment.

As soon as the bell rang, Johnny was out of the classroom. He took off down the sidewalk and quickly met up with Daniel. He had to tell him what he had been called.

Daniel approached him faster than he predicted. When the two boys collided, Daniel stumbled forward, and Johnny ended up meeting the pavement. Daniel turned around angrily, but as soon as he realized it was Johnny, his expression softened, and he ended up laughing.

"I don't see why you're so excited for the cafeteria's macaroni and cheese. It's not that great," Daniel teased, holding out his hand. Johnny accepted it and was pulled to his feet. He stared at Daniel with big, nervous eyes.

"No, it's not that. In biology, Tommy and Johnny were calling you names," Johnny explained. "They called you a worm and some of the other names aren't school appropriate." Daniel sighed and rolled his eyes.

"I know. Tommy called me that earlier. The other names are probably because they know Ali and I are going on a date this weekend," he explained. Johnny looked at him blankly.

"You two are?" Daniel nodded. The tardy bell rang, and Daniel grabbed Johnny's sleeve.

"Come on, lets go get a good seat," he said, pulling Johnny towards the cafeteria.

XxXxXxX

Johnny couldn't focus in English. His mind was stuck on the fact that Daniel and Ali were going on a date. A _date_.

Wasn't Ali the whole reason Lawrence hated Daniel? Isn't she the reason this feud started? Wouldn't their date spark more bullying for Daniel? If it did, would Johnny get brought into the mix again?

Gosh, he hoped not. Lawrence didn't do much to him, but he sure could hit. His cheek stung for the next couple days after the blow.

Mrs. Stacy wasn't happy that Johnny didn't pay attention to her boring lecture about iambic pentameter. And whenever she called on Johnny, he just added more fuel to the fire by not knowing the answering.

"Mr. LaRusso," Mrs. Stacy called. Johnny's head snapped up in the direction of her voice. "Can you please tell the class what iambic pentameter is?" Johnny felt his cheeks heat up, and despite his tan skin, he knew his face was a deep crimson color.

"I-I'm not sure," he answered softly. She groaned loudly.

"Please pay attention," Johnny stifled some laughter. That was the fifth time he heard her say that this hour. She should know it's not going to happen. Not today anyway.

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**review loves. :)**


	20. Jealous Johnny

**For this story, my goal is to reach 100 reviews. Guys, we are ****_so_**** close! Now, I won't tell you how many chapters are left, but can you all help me reach that goal? :)**

**When you get done reading, please review! It honestly helps me write, and your feedback makes me smile. 33 reviews to go!**

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own The Outsiders or The Karate Kid**

* * *

When the LaRusso family car didn't start, not only Daniel, but Johnny too, was embarrassed. It didn't seem to bother Ali too much. She looked like she didn't mind what happened as long as she was going on a date with Daniel. All three family members got out and headed to the back of the car. Daniel avoided eye contact with Ali's watching parents. Lucille merely smiled to them.

"Don't worry! This happens all the time!" she called happily. Daniel sighed and got into position. Johnny did too. Lucille counted to three, and they all began to push. Soon, the car was working perfectly. Lucille, Daniel, and Johnny all took off to get in the car. They couldn't risk it breaking down again.

"That was so embarrassing," Daniel muttered. Ali grabbed onto his hand.

"It wasn't that bad," she reassured him. Daniel gave one of his famous humorless laughs.

"You're not the one whose car stopped working in front of their date's parents. Way to make a good impression, eh?" From the backseat, Johnny couldn't hold back a laugh. Daniel turned around and smirked.

"Daniel . . ." Lucille said softly.

"Johnny liked that one," he answered. Lucille shook her head and continued driving.

XxXxXxX

When Ali and Daniel got out, Johnny got out as well to claim Daniel's seat. He didn't seem to notice since Ali was pulling him towards the brick building.

Johnny couldn't help but feel a little jealous.

They hadn't been able to spend any brother bonding time like their mother had wanted. Secretly, Johnny wanted that too. Now that Daniel was starting to like him, Johnny longed to spend time with him.

If only Daniel wanted the same thing.

To kill the time, Lucille suggested going to the local burger joint. Johnny wasn't about to protest. He was starving.

XxXxXxX

Lucille stared at her youngest as if she were trying to figure him out. Johnny didn't notice. He was too busy staring at his hands in his lap.

"Johnny, what's wrong?" Lucille asked softly. Johnny looked up and met her eyes. He shrugged.

"Nothing," he lied. Lucille's eyes narrowed.

"Sweetheart, something is bothering you. Don't try to lie to me," she said again. Johnny shook his head.

"I'm fine," Johnny insisted. Lucille still wasn't buying it.

"Does this have anything to do with Daniel going on his date with Ali? Are you jealous that he has a date?" Johnny shook his head.

"No," he answered simply.

"Are you jealous because she has Daniel's attention?" Lucille inquired. Johnny broke their eye contact quickly; in response, Lucille smiled. "You feel like you're losing him, don't you? You guys were starting to get close, and now, it feels like you're separating again, doesn't it?"

Johnny was thankful when their food came out. He was hoping it'd allow them to drop the subject. Little did he know that Lucille was going to figure it out whether he wanted her to or not.

The waitress sat their food on the table. Lucille thanked her, and Johnny quickly dug in. Lucille turned back towards him.

"Johnny just tell him that you want to spend time with him. He'll understand," she told him. Johnny shook his head and swallowed.

"No. He may be nice to me, but he probably sees me as an annoying younger sibling," Lucille looked at him and frowned.

"I can tell you right now that's not how Daniel sees you. He doesn't think you're annoying," she assured him. Johnny looked at her with a raised eyebrow.

"D-Did he tell you that?" Lucille frown grew bigger.

"Well . . . No, but I can tell," Johnny shook his head and sighed.

Seeing how this conversation was affecting Johnny, Lucille let it drop. As a mother, she was ecstatic that her youngest wanted to be with her oldest, but at the same time, she couldn't help but feel saddened. It broke her heart that Johnny assumed Daniel thought that poorly of him.

XxXxXxX

Later that night, Lucille and Daniel were all alone. Lucille called him over to the couch, and he took a seat next to her. Johnny went to bed half an hour ago, so she figured this would be the best time to talk to him alone.

"What do you need, Ma?" Daniel asked, sitting down. Lucille closed her book and sat it on the coffee table.

"It's about Johnny . . ." she began. Daniel's eyes widened, and his face dropped.

"Is he all right? Is he sick? What's wrong?" The question began to fly. Lucille smiled and chuckled.

"No, no, he's fine. He's just a little heartbroken . . ." Daniel's expression quickly changed from nervous to angry.

"Who hurt him? I swear, why can't people leave him alone?" Lucille smiled at how overprotective Daniel was.

"If you'd let me finish without cutting me off every few seconds," she laughed. Daniel couldn't resist a smile.

"Go on,"

"As I was saying, he's a little heartbroken. Daniel, he want to spend time with you. He's jealous of Ali since she has all your attention," Lucille explained.

Daniel looked at her weirdly.

"He wants to spend time with me?" he asked. It sounded like he was having a hard time believing it. Lucille nodded. "How come?"

"You're his older brother, Daniel. Younger siblings always want to hang out with their older sibling," she explained. "Will you spend some time with him?" Daniel nodded his head and got up. "Good night, sweetheart."

"Good night, Ma,"

Johnny heard everything. He heard his mother tell Daniel everything he admitted to her earlier. Daniel entered the room. Johnny quickly shut his eyes. Daniel laughed.

"I know you're awake, tadpole," he said. Against his best efforts, Johnny smiled and opened his eyes to see his brother. Daniel collapsed onto his best and sighed.

Johnny watched him, waiting to see if he commented on Johnny's feelings.

"So, is it true?" he asked.

Dang.

Johnny shifted in his bed uncomfortably. Should he ignore Daniel? Should he lie to him? Or since his mother already let the cat out of the bag, should he be completely honest?

Daniel sat up in his bed. He watched Johnny closely waiting for his response.

"Are you really jealous that Ali has my attention?" A grin played its way onto Daniel's face. Johnny sighed and reluctantly nodded his head.

"I guess I'm a little jealous," he admitted. Daniel's grin grew bigger.

"Well, guess what. You and me, we're going to hang out together next weekend," Daniel told him happily. Johnny looked at him with a smile on his face.

"Seriously?" Daniel nodded his head.

"Yes, I'm serious," Daniel answered. "Now we should probably go to sleep. I'm pretty tired." Both boys lied down. Johnny stared at the ceiling. Daniel actually wanted to do something with him.

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	21. Brother Bonding

**When you get done reading, please review. It'd make my day, and I really do like seeing what you guys have to say about the contents of the chapter. :)**

* * *

Johnny was happy. The week went by fast; school was actually easy for him, and now he got to spend the day with his big brother.

Unfortunately, Johnny was forced to walk home alone. Daniel decided to go over to Mr. Miyagi's house after school to learn more stuff for the tournament. Johnny was amazed. The tournament, and Daniel's birthday, was coming up fast.

He wasn't sure what day the tournament was, but by the way that Daniel spoke, it sounded sooner than Johnny imagined.

Lawrence was still up to his old ways though. Daniel and Ali planned on going back to Golf N' Stuff last night, but Ali had a dinner at some country club. Daniel went to go pick her up; instead, Daniel came home furious with stained clothes.

Johnny didn't dare ask what happened, but he knew it was the doing of Lawrence .

Who else would do that to Daniel?

Johnny wouldn't admit it, but he was kind of happy that Daniel and Ali were fighting. Sure, Ali was nice and everything, but Johnny didn't really care for her.

She seemed like a typical soc.

To him, it felt like she was _using_ Daniel. It seemed like Ali was using Daniel to get back with Lawrence . Daniel didn't see it, so Johnny kept his mouth shut.

But that's just what Johnny thought. Who knew if it was true?

Johnny was all alone when he got home. Lucille had taken a night shift tonight, so she wouldn't be home until eleven o'clock or later. Johnny didn't mind the apartment being so quiet. It gave him the perfect opportunity to do his homework.

That's exactly what he did.

Johnny took a seat at the table and began the several worksheets Mr. Henderson gave him. He breezed right through them. Johnny liked Mr. Henderson. He thoroughly explained the content they were studying. Johnny liked that.

He struggled with his English homework. They had to write a poem in iambic pentameter, but Johnny didn't understand it. He even approached Mrs. Stacey.

She wasn't any help. She merely told him to figure it out on his own.

_"It's your punishment for not paying attention,"_

He heard her voice clear as day. Johnny didn't think it was very fair that she wouldn't explain it quickly to him. It wasn't _his_fault that he couldn't pay attention. From what he did hear of her lesson, she didn't even make it very clear.

Whether he paid attention or not, he would've still struggled with his homework. That wasn't very fair. It reminded him of what Mr. Miyagi had said the night of the Halloween dance.

_"No such thing bad student, only bad teacher,"_

It fit Mrs. Stacy's class very appropriately. She wasn't the greatest teacher ever. She should take lessons from Mr. Henderson.

The door leading to outside opened up, and Daniel stepped inside. He tossed his backpack onto the couch and looked at Johnny happily.

"Are you ready to go have a boys' night out?" Daniel asked. Johnny nodded happily and pushed his English homework away. He was glad to get away from it.

"Hey, Daniel," Johnny said, putting his shoes on. Daniel looked up at him, encouraging him to continue. "Do you know anything about iambic pentameter?" Daniel crossed his arms and tapped his cheek with his finger.

"Hmm, I'm afraid I don't. How come?" Johnny sighed.

Mrs. Stacy wasn't going to like this.

"I have English homework, but my teacher won't further explain what it is. So, I'm stuck," Daniel smirked.

"Don't turn in the assignment, and when she asks for it, tell her you didn't do it because you didn't understand it," he suggested. Johnny looked at him.

"I don't know if that's a good idea," Johnny said uneasily.

"What's your grade in that class?"

"It's an 85 at the moment,"

"Just do it. You can afford a missing assignment," Daniel said, leaving the apartment. To Johnny, that didn't sound like such a bad idea. It'd be like revenge.

It'd be like revenge on Mrs. Stacy.

Johnny smiled. He slipped his other shoe on and quickly tied it before following Daniel outside.

XxXxXxX

The two of them went to the closest restaurant. When they arrived, Johnny wasn't so sure. He had seen a lot of rundown buildings, but this one stuck out to him.

It didn't look safe.

The building looked like it could collapse at any moment, and the inside wasn't any better. It was disgusting and dirty. Johnny wanted to go somewhere else.

"Can we go somewhere else? This place doesn't make me feel safe," Johnny whispered. Daniel looked down at him.

"I was thinking the same thing, but Freddy said they had really good food,"

"I don't think I'd like to find out the answer," Johnny said, looking around the dirty building.

"Me too. I think it'll be worth the two mile walk to the restaurant Mom works at," Johnny nodded his head, and both boys hurried out of disease written place.

XxXxXxX

Daniel told Johnny everything about his training. Johnny found it fascinating that painting a house, painting a fence, and sanding a floor could help learn karate.

". . . And that's when he showed me that I was in fact learning karate," Daniel explained. He had just finished telling Johnny the story about their disagreement.

Lucille ended up delivering their food. When she noticed her two sons bonding, she looked like she was about to cry. She handed them their plates and then hurried off without saying a word.

"I don't see why she got so emotional. She makes it seem like all we do is fight," Daniel sighed, picking up his fork. Johnny nodded in agreement.

But maybe to her, Daniel ignoring Johnny was equivalent to fighting.

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	22. Back in Tulsa

**When you get done reading, please review.**

* * *

Pony started at the officers in disbelief. This couldn't be happening. They were too young for this to be forced onto them, especially Darry.

He couldn't do this on his own.

How would they break the news to their friends. Hell, it was hard for it to sink in for Pony. It was going to be harder to tell the news. The officers words were still fresh in his mind.

_"Your parents were involved in a car accident. When help arrive they were both dead. I'm so sorry for your loss,"_

Soda wrapped an arm around Ponyboy and held him close. Unlike Pony, Soda was crying. Pony was too shocked to cry.

Darry thanked the officers and shut the door. He turned towards his younger brothers. Darry wasn't crying either.

But why not? Why was Soda the only one crying?

"Let's go back to bed, and try not to worry about it. We'll worry about it in the morning," Darry said slowly. Nobody argued with him.

Darry turned and walked back to his room. Soda pulled away from Pony.

"Soda, w-will you sleep with me tonight?" Pony asked quietly. Soda wiped his eyes and smiled.

"Of course," he whispered sadly. Both boys turned and wandered to Pony's bedroom.

This couldn't be happened. They were all going to wake up tomorrow and find this to be a horrible nightmare. Mrs. Curtis will greet her sons with a nice breakfast, and their dad will give them all hugs before heading off to work.

That's how it went every day.

Soda wrapped his arm around Pony and held him close in fear that he'd disappear too. Pony stared blankly at the wall and thought about the events of tonight. Tears formed in his eyes, but he didn't hold them back. They fell down his cheek and disappeared into his pillow.

This couldn't be happening.

XxXxXxX

Pony didn't want to face the world the next day. He wasn't ready to hear his brother break the news to the gang. He wasn't sure he could handle it.

He finally convinced himself to get up. He knew Darry wouldn't be very happy with him. Darry. Darry was still a kid himself. He couldn't take care of two younger boys and himself.

It was too much.

The living room was silent, and Pony was hoping they broke the news while he was asleep.

Soda peeked his head into the living room and saw Pony standing in front of the couch.

"He's awake, Dar," Soda said plainly. Pony walked towards his older brother even though he knew he shouldn't. No, he should; he just didn't _want_ to.

Steve, Two-Bit, Dallas, and Soda were sitting at the table. Darry was standing in front of them.

The gang all looked confused.

Ponyboy took a seat next to Soda. In response, Soda wrapped his arm around his younger brother.

"What's going on?" Steve was the one to break the silence. Soda and Pony merely looked at Darry, hoping he'd tell the news. Darry sighed and took a seat in between Steve and Dallas.

Darry took a deep breath and avoided eye contact with the guys. It somehow made it easier to announce the news.

"O-Ours parents were k-killed last night," Darry stammered. His voice was shaky. Ponyboy thought for sure he was going to start crying, but he didn't.

Pony buried his face into Soda's shoulder and started crying. He held Pony tightly and cried too.

The whole gang was speechless. They didn't know what to say. All of them looked at Mr. and Mrs. Curtis as their own parents. Because they actually cared for their boys _and_ their friends.

"Has anyone told Johnny?" Dallas asked, finally breaking the silence.

Ponyboy pulled away from Soda and wiped his eyes.

"No," Soda sniffed. "No one has." Pony got up from his seat.

"I'll go call him," he said weakly. Darry stood up quickly.

"You don't have to now," Ponyboy shook his head.

"No, I need to talk to him," he answered, walking towards the living room.

XxXxXxX

Johnny answered the phone and was happy to hear Ponyboy's voice. When Pony responded, he didn't sound like his normal, happy self. He sounded sad and depressed.

"Ponyboy, what's wrong?" Johnny asked. Daniel looked up from his math homework and glanced at his brother.

"Johnny, my p-parents were k-killed in a car a-accident last n-night," Pony sniffed. Johnny's heart dropped to his stomach.

"Are you all right? Your face is really pale," Daniel whispered. Johnny weakly nodded his head.

"I wish I could be with you guys right now," he told his best friend.

"I wish you were here too," Through the phone, Johnny could tell his best friend was crying. It broke his heart. But that's when Johnny got the greatest idea ever.

XxXxXxX

Lucille sat at the table and thought over what Johnny had said and asked.

"What about Daniel?" she asked.

"I'll be fine, Mom. I have Mr. Miyagi," Daniel answered, getting something from the fridge.

"Are you sure?"

"Ma, I'm almost 18. I'll be on my own soon," he answered. Lucille turned back to look at Johnny.

"Please, Mom? He needs me," Johnny begged. Lucille nodded her head and sighed.

"We'll have to get you an outfit for the funeral," she sighed.

"I know this place in Tulsa where we can get a cheap outfit," Johnny smiled. Lucille nodded her head.

"We should get leaving. So we can be there at a decent time tomorrow," Johnny hopped up from his seat with a big smile. "Are you sure you'll be all right, Daniel?" he nodded his head and smiled.

"I'll be fine," he assured. Lucille and Johnny went to go back their bags before beginning the day long drive.

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	23. A Nice Reunion for the Wrong Reason

**Well, it's 12:30 in the morning, and I'm stuck erasing my phone and starting over. While I wait for this to complete, I've decided to update this story. I didn't realize how long it's been, so my apologies for the wait.**

**I hope you like this chapter. When you get done reading, please review.**

* * *

The whole gang sat around the living room in silence. The events of yesterday were fresh. None of the guys could believe they were gone. Why did it have to be them? Why did they have to be gone?

"I don't like the silence," Two-Bit said sadly. "I want things to go back to normal." Even Dallas seemed depressed. That wasn't usual for him. Darry rubbed his temples and sighed.

"I don't like it either, Two-Bit," Darry answered. Ponyboy wiped his eyes and leaned into Sodapop. Soda wrapped his arm around him and sighed.

Teenagers shouldn't deal with this stuff.

All of them jumped when they heard someone knock at the door. They weren't use to it. Everyone normally entered without knocking. The group glanced at each other. Last time someone knocked, the person ended up giving them some bad news. Did they really want to risk it?

Everyone continued to look at one another. Darry shook his head and sighed before standing up.

"You sure you want to do that Darry? Whoever is there will leave eventually," Soda said.

"I don't want to," he responded. He turned the knob and pulled the door open. Immediately his mouth hit the ground, and his eyes were wide. Ponyboy pulled away from Soda and sat up.

"Darry, what's wrong?" Darry pushed the screen door open quickly and stepped outside. Nobody moved; instead, they watched to see what happened.

Johnny stepped onto the old familiar porch. It felt right being here. He never thought he'd say it, but he actually missed this place. Johnny walked up to the door, and for the first time, he knocked on the door.

It'd be the wonderful surprise.

He heard shuffling from inside, but it was taking a while for them to answer. Johnny was starting to grow impatient. He wanted to see his friends again, and the fact that they had no idea he was there was even better.

Finally the door opened to reveal Darry. He looked awfully upset, but when his eyes met Johnny's, his eyes widened, and his jaw hit the ground.

"Darry, what's wrong?" he recognized the voice as Pony's. Darry came outside and wrapped Johnny up in a tight hug. Johnny smiled and hugged him back. He couldn't wait to see the other boys' reactions.

Darry released him and looked at him happily. He opened the screen door and pushed Johnny inside. The gang's reaction was similar to that of Darry's. Their jaws hit the floor.

Everyone jumped up from their seats and wrapped Johnny up in a bear hug. He didn't know they missed him that much. Johnny smiled and waited for them to release him.

"What are you doing here, man?" Dallas asked happily.

"I asked my ma to drive me here. We left as soon as Pony called yesterday," Johnny explained.

"How long are you here for?" Pony asked smiling. For once, everyone forgot about the heartbreak. They were just happy to have their kid brother back. Even if it was for a little bit.

"Well, we have to be home by 18th," he answered, taking a seat next to Ponyboy. "So, I'm guessing my mom will leave shortly after the . . . the funeral." Pony wrapped his arms and hugged his best friend tightly.

"As long as you're here," Pony said. "Will you stay the night?" Johnny shrugged his shoulders.

"I dunno. I'll ask my ma," he smiled.

"Can we all stay the night, Darry?" Steve asked. Darry looked around the room but slowly nodded.

"Yes, you guys can all stay the night," he replied. Ponyboy pulled away with an even bigger smile on his face.

"It's going to be just like old times,"

XxXxXxX

Darry invited Mrs. LaRusso over for dinner. While those two made dinner, the other boys horsed around. Darry didn't mind. He was glad everyone wasn't depressed for once. He really missed this atmosphere. As much as he thought he'd never say it.

"I'm really sorry to hear about what happened to your parents," Lucille said, stirring the noodles. Darry shrugged.

"It's going to be hard to adjust, but with the help of the boys, I think we'll make it all right," he answered. "Thanks for driving all the way to bring Johnny here. It means a lot to all of us. He made this whole thing a lot easier." Lucille smiled.

"It's the least I could do,"

"So, where's your oldest?" Darry asked, mixing together his mother's famous sauce recipe.

"He stayed in Reseda. He's been training for a karate tournament," Lucille explained.

"He's in karate?" Lucille sighed.

"Actually, he's been getting bullied, so our maintenance man is training him. He's from Japan, and his father taught him . . ." Lucille trailed off. "I'm sorry, I'm rambling." She laughed. Darry laughed too.

"Don't worry about it; it was actually interesting," he answered. "Do you guys have a place to stay? The boys were wantin' Johnny to stay the night, and if you guys don't have a place, feel free to stay here too." Lucille shook her head.

"Oh no, I couldn't," Darry looked at her.

"Come on, it's the least _I_ could do. After all, you did bring him out here. You don't need to waste money on a crappy motel," Darry insisted. Lucille sighed and nodded her head.

"If you don't think it's too much. I really appreciate this, Darry," Lucille smiled, dumping the water into the sink

XxXxXxX

Ponyboy and Johnny slipped off to Pony's room. He was telling Johnny everything that had happened while he was gone. When he reached the part about his parents, tears started forming in his eyes.

"They went out for their anniversary," Pony said, wiping his eyes. Johnny gripped his shoulder and forced a smile.

"You can stop there," he told him softly. Pony forced a smile too.

"Thanks, Johnny. I'm really glad you're back," Johnny nodded his head.

"It's real nice to be back," Johnny laughed. "I never thought I'd miss this town." Pony looked around his room.

"So," he looked at Johnny. "What's California like?" Johnny met eyes with him.

"It's real nice . . ." he started.

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	24. We Miss You

**Guys, I probably won't be updating anytime next week. All of next week is softball try-outs. :D So, if I manage to make the team, my updates will be on weekends only. Maybe the occasional week day update. :)**

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There weren't many people at the funeral, but that didn't bother the boys any. They were all sort of relieved that the service was low key. The only people that attended were the Curtis boys' grandparents, long lost aunt and uncles, a couple cousins they hardly remembered, a couple handfuls of their parents' friends, and even Two-Bit's mother and kid sister showed up.

Each boy said something about Barbara and Darrel Curtis. Steve and Two-Bit even broke down in tears when it was their turn to speak.

Steve thanked his best friend's parents for allowing him a place to cool off when his father and he got into a fight.

Two-Bit thanked them for everything. From dealing with his crazy antics to putting up with listening to Mickey Mouse every day.

Dallas thanked them for talking him out of doing stupid stuff that'd land him in jail.

Johnny thanked them for helping him find his real family and for allowing him a place for when his _other_ parents were too overwhelming.

Darry, Sodapop, and Ponyboy thanked them for being there. They thanked them for being the greatest damn parents ever.

Despite the sadness that filled the air, it was heartwarming knowing their parents had touched the lives of so many people.

XxXxXxX

So many people had come up to the boys expressing their sorrow. It was too much for them. And they were all happy when it was time to go home.

The ride home was silent. Nobody wanted to speak. It just hurt them all too much. Finally, Soda was through with it. He had enough of the pain filled silence. He slammed his hands down on the dashboard of Darry's truck. The guys jumped in shock.

"What's wrong, Pepsi-Cola?" Darry asked, focusing on the road.

"I'm tired of this silence! Can't we just forget that they're gone, and instead be happy that we got to spend as much time with them that was possible?" he asked. Soda looked at Darry. His eyes were filling with tears. In the back, Steve sniffed.

"I agree," Two-Bit said, wiping the new coming tears. Steve and Dallas nodded their heads.

"Is it agreed?" Soda asked, turning to face his non biological brothers. "We'll know longer be sad that they're gone, but instead, we'll be happy they spent so much time with us?" The group of boys nodded their heads. Everyone wiped their tears and started new. This is what they all needed.

XxXxXxX

"So, when do you leave?" Pony asked, watching Johnny pack up his belongings. Johnny zipped up his backpack and sighed.

"Mom wants to leave tomorrow morning," he answered. "She wants to be home a day before Daniel's birthday."

"His birthday is coming up?" Johnny nodded.

"Yep, he'll be eighteen," he answered, setting his bag on the ground. He leaned it up against the wall. "She'll probably want to leave early tomorrow morning." Ponyboy frowned.

"If I'm still asleep, will you wake me up before you leave?" he asked. Johnny smiled and took a seat next to him on Pony's bed.

"Well of course. I'm not going to leave without saying good-bye. That'd be rude of me," Ponyboy smiled.

"Typical Johnny Cade . . ." Pony started only to be interrupted moments later.

"That's Johnny _LaRusso_ to you," he said, holding his index finger in the air. Ponyboy stared at him blankly.

"Johnny LaRusso," Pony rolled the name around on his tongue. "It sounds so different. I'm not use to it." Johnny gave him a goofy grin.

"Well get use to it 'cause there is no way in hell that I'm becomin' a Cade again," he said. Ponyboy pretended to be hurt.

"Not even for your best friend?" he asked. Johnny's grin disappeared, and he sighed.

"I don't even know. If I had the chance to come back to them . . . I don't know if I'd do it. I love my mom and Daniel, but I really miss you guys," he frowned.

"I'd make sure you stayed with them. They're your family after all," Pony said. Johnny looked at him.

"You're my family too," he replied. Ponyboy tried to impersonate Soda's infamous grin. Johnny laughed and shook his head.

"Just leave the one to Sodapop, Pony," Johnny laughed. Ponyboy only shrugged.

"It was worth a try," he said. Johnny's laughter slowly disappeared, and he soon became quiet again. "You know, you've changed."

"How so?"

"You don't look so nervous and jumpy, and you talk a lot more,"

"Isn't that good?" Johnny asked with confusion. Ponyboy nodded his head.

"Yeah, but I miss the old Johnny,"

"This new last name has really changed me," Johnny joked. Pony couldn't help but smile.

"You crack a lot more jokes. I like the new Johnny,"

"Good because he's here to stay," Ponyboy got up from his bed.

"Should we go bother the older boys like old times?" he asked. Johnny nodded his head, and they headed into the living room.

XxXxXxX

Johnny woke Ponyboy up the next morning, just like he promised. They both decided to wake up the other guys, so that they could say good-bye to Johnny too. Steve nearly ripped Pony's head off, but when he realized the reasoning, he shot up quickly.

The boys all walked Johnny outside to Lucille who was waiting in the old station wagon. Two-Bit was the first to say good-bye. He held Johnny tightly and didn't let go until the other guys pulled him off. Steve gave him a quick hug, and Soda gave him a long hug too, but it wasn't nearly as long as Two-Bit's. Dallas hugged Johnny and ruffled his hair a bit, and Darry copied Steve's action. Last was Ponyboy. The two stared at each other like they were just meeting.

"Do something, kid!" Steve shouted from the porch. They both leaned in and hugged each other tightly.

"I'm going to miss you, Johnnycake," Pony said. Tears began to form in his eyes, but Johnny smiled.

"I'll be back before you know it, and I promise I'll stay longer," Johnny replied, pulling away. "Don't cry. I'll call you in a couple days. Whenever stuff starts slowing down." He opened the door and got into the car.

"Bye, Johnnycake," Pony said, waving. Johnny waved back.

"Bye, everyone," he called to the boys.

"See you soon," they answered. Lucille pulled away from the curb, and Johnny watched them disappear. He was going to miss Tulsa, but a part of him was excited to get back to Reseda.

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**only a couple chapters left!**


	25. Warm Welcomes in Reseda

**There's only one more chapter following this one. After that, this story is complete. I'm really sad, guys. I really loved writing this story, and I was sad when I finished writing it, and now it's almost time to finish publishing in it. Excuse me while I cry in the corner of my room.**

**While I cry, I hope you like this chapter. After you finishing reading, please review.**

**Disclaimer:**** I don't own The Outsiders or The Karate Kid.**

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Daniel met them outside when they arrived. Lucille instantly went all out mother mode on him, and to Johnny, it was pretty funny. Daniel finally put his hands on her shoulders and looked her right in the eyes.

"Ma, I can assure you I was fine. Nothing bad happened while you were gone; I spent a majority of my time with Mr. Miyagi," he explained. "Plus, he invited me over tomorrow for a birthday celebration."

Daniel pulled away from her, and she nodded her head. She turned on her heel and hurried towards her apartment causing Daniel to sigh.

"I don't think she trusts me," he said. He turned towards Johnny. "So, how was that horse child . . . Eh, what's his name again?"

"His name is Ponyboy. I dunno, they all seemed pretty happy around me, except for at the funeral home," Johnny answered.

"Well, that's because they haven't seen you in a while, tadpole. How are you handling the deaths?" Johnny shrugged in response. "Are they bothering you?"

"Yeah, they're bothering me. They were basically my parents. They treated me better than my other folks,"

"Do you want to come with me to Miyagi's tomorrow? You know, to get your mind off of things," Daniel said, heading towards the apartment. Johnny followed close behind.

"Isn't that for you and Mr. Miyagi only?" Johnny asked. Daniel shrugged his shoulders.

"He won't care; he likes you," Daniel answered.

"Are you sure?"

"Johnny, I'm positive. Now do you want to go?" Johnny looked at him and thought over the decision. "Come on, we'll have fun." Finally, he sighed.

"All right, I'll go," he grumbled. Daniel's face lit up.

"Great, I promise you won't regret it!" The two reached their apartment and stepped inside. Lucille was busy preparing lunch.

XxXxXxX

Mr. Miyagi carefully cared Daniel's cake into his dining room. He vigilantly placed it on the table and stepped back.

"Come on, Johnny-San. We sing for Daniel-San," Mr. Miyagi spoke happily. Johnny nodded his head, and the two began the song.

"Happy birthday to you . . ." Daniel blew on his noise maker. ". . . Happy birthday, dear Daniel-San . . ." Once more, Daniel blew on the noise maker. " . . . Happy birthday to you." Daniel ended the song with various noises caused by banging his hands on the table.

Mr. Miyagi sat down and pulled out a present. He handed it to Daniel who looked over it intently.

"Open it," Mr. Miyagi smiled. Daniel followed his instructions and pulled the top off. On the inside was a nice, white gi. He pulled it out and inspected it. A bonsai tree was embroidered on the back.

"Wow, this is nice," Daniel whispered in admiration. He looked up at the older man. "Thanks Mr. Miyagi." He merely smiled and nodded his head.

Mr. Miyagi stood up from the table and looked at both boys. He made a gesture signaling for them to follow him outside.

"Follow me for number two present," he instructed, heading off. Daniel looked at Johnny who shrugged his shoulders in response. They both stood up and followed after Mr. Miyagi.

Outside, he stared at Daniel happily. He made a gesturing sweep towards the cars, signaling for Daniel to choose one. Once he caught on, Daniel shook his head.

"Oh no, Mr. Miyagi, I couldn't," he said. Mr. Miyagi's arm dropped, and he frowned.

"Hurt old man's feeling," Mr. Miyagi answered sadly. Daniel looked at him before glancing at his younger brother. Johnny nodded his head, insisting that he obey the older man.

Daniel headed towards the cars, specifically the yellow one. Johnny followed after him.

"This is a cool car," Daniel whispered. He opened the door and climbed inside. Mr. Miyagi came up behind Johnny and gripped his shoulder.

"You like, Daniel-San?" he asked. Daniel stopped admiring the car and looked towards Mr. Miyagi.

"I do," Daniel smiled. "Thanks for everything, Mr. Miyagi." The old man nodded his head and smiled.

"You go home now. Mother waiting," Daniel nodded his head obediently.

"Come on, Johnny," Johnny ran around to the other side and got in. Daniel started up the car and pulled out of Miyagi's yard.

Johnny blocked out everyone else. He was too busy admiring the car. He ran his hand along the dashboard and smiled.

"This car is something else, isn't it?" Daniel asked with a smirk. Johnny nodded his head.

"It sure is," he smiled.

XxXxXxX

Johnny sat in the car and waited for Daniel. He ended up taking them to Golf N' Stuff, so he could apologize to Ali. Apparently they were still arguing about what happened a while ago with the country club. It was stupid in Johnny's opinion.

Finally Daniel came back to the car, except Ali was following close behind. Daniel slid into the middle and allowed Ali to drive.

This was more nerve-wracking than when Daniel drove for the first time. Ali started the car and pulled out of the parking space.

"How fast does this go?" she asked curiously.

"Ehh, let's not find out," Daniel answered as the trio pulled onto the road.

XxXxXxX

Ali ran up to her house after kissing Daniel good night. Daniel got back into the driver's seat and pulled away for home. Johnny was happy to go home. He was tired, and they had to get up early tomorrow for the tournament.

"Are you nervous?" Johnny asked, tired of the silence.

"Nervous for what?" Daniel asked in response. Johnny rolled his eyes; he knew Daniel was trying to avoid the topic.

"Are you nervous for the tournament?" Daniel hesitated with his answer. The only noise that could be heard was the low humming coming from the brightly colored car.

"Yeah, I'm really nervous," he answered after a few minutes. Johnny looked at him and smiled.

"Don't be. You'll do fine," Johnny reassured. Daniel couldn't help but smile.

"Thanks, tadpole. But, hey . . . I want to apologize for acting so bitter towards you in the beginning," Daniel told him.

"Don't worry about it. I'd probably act bitter if some random kid showed up claiming to be my long lost younger brother," Johnny chuckled. Daniel laughed too. Johnny leaned back in the seat and looked up at the night sky. It was nice out. To Johnny, the beautiful night sky was a great way to end the night. And for the rest of the ride, he stared at the stars.

* * *

**Ooo, would you guys read a sequel if I decided to do one?! **

**Review loves. :) Also, tell me if you'd be up for a sequel! Next chapter will contain some plot ideas! :)**


	26. A Perfect End to a Bumpy Start

**I figured since it's Thursday, I'd upload the final chapter. I'm kind of sad, but I'm also happy because that means I can start the sequel. I came up with a couple ideas, and there's one I'm leaning towards (I'll probably do the one I'm leaning towards), but I want to know what you guys would like to see happen in the next fanfic. The ideas will be listed at the bottom, and to vote for one, you'll have to go to my profile and vote there. Please DO NOT list your answer in a review. I will not count it if you do. Please go vote on the poll, it'll take a couple minutes, I promise. :)**

**I really hope you like the last chapter, even though I'd say it's pretty predictable. I was thinking, and I've decided that I will suck it up, and change this to a crossover story. Anyway, when you get done reading, please review! If a lot of people review, I'll post the first chapter of the sequel on Monday (the 25th) since it's the 30 year anniversary for the movie. :)**

* * *

The entire LaRusso family was nervous the next morning. Lucille was the worst. She tried several times to talk Daniel out of doing it. No matter what she said, Daniel told her he was doing this tournament.

Mr. Miyagi arrived at the apartment around 8:15. He agreed to take Daniel _and_ Johnny. Lucille had to go into work for a couple hours. But as soon as she was done there, she promised she come watch Daniel.

Lucille kissed her kids good-bye and thanked Mr. Miyagi before hurrying out the door. Mr. Miyagi looked at Daniel and smiled.

"You ready, Daniel-San?" he asked. Daniel finished brushing his teeth and nodded his head. "Where Johnny-San?"

"I think he's getting dressed," Daniel asked, wiping his mouth off. Johnny reentered the living room with his jean jacket draped over his arm.

"Is it time to leave?" he asked the older men. They each nodded, and Johnny went to slip his shoes on.

Johnny followed Daniel and Mr. Miyagi down to Daniel's car. Daniel got into the driver's seat, and Mr. Miyagi claimed the passenger seat, so Johnny got in the back. There was no way he was sitting in the middle. From the looks of it last night, the middle was cramped.

Everyone buckled up, and they began the forty-five minute drive to the tournament. Johnny watched the scenery, and he wondered to himself how Ponyboy was doing.

"You know directions, Daniel-San?" Miyagi asked. Daniel shook his head.

"No, I was hoping you could give them to me," he answered. Johnny sighed and waited for them to get lost. With Daniel, it shouldn't be _too_ long.

XxXxXxX

With six boys, the mourning process doesn't last long. A couple days had passed since Johnny left, and the boys were already back to themselves. It was like nothing bad had even happened.

Sure they were still upset about the loss of the Curtis parents, but they tried to push that aside. They were tired of the depressing atmosphere.

Steve and Two-Bit rolled around on the ground. Each of them were trying to pin the other boy. Dallas was smoking a cigarette even though Darry didn't like the smoke in the house. Lastly, Soda and Pony were getting ready for school.

Last night, Soda brought up something that scared Ponyboy. He said that after the year was over, he was going to drop out. Pony didn't understand why, and Soda claimed it's because he's dumb.

Pony wasn't buying it.

They both said good-bye to the gang, and they each began the journey to school. Normally, Two-Bit was with them, but today he decided to skip. Not that they minded, they were actually glad they were without Two-Bit's jokes for once.

Today was going to be a great day.

XxXxXxX

How Johnny convinced Lucille to let him skip school for the tournament was beyond Johnny. He asked her in the car the other day, and she didn't even hesitate. Johnny thought it had something to do with supporting the brother.

Daniel's first match was at ten o'clock. Why they had to leave so early was beyond Johnny too. He heard Mr. Miyagi mention something about getting a feel for how the other guys were going to compete.

Whatever that meant.

Johnny sat in the stands, eager to see his brother's performance. This was the first time he had ever been to a karate tournament, but he was loving every minute of it. All the different moves fascinated him, and he couldn't help but feel intrigued by how graceful they all looked.

Johnny almost wished he knew karate. Maybe Daniel could teach him?

XxXxXxX

When Lucille arrived, Daniel was really kicking butt. Johnny swore the matches weren't lasting anymore than five minutes.

Lucille and he took a seat in the stands. This was the match that would determine whether Daniel made it to the semi-finals or not. His heart was racing. He wanted to see his brother win, but he was nervous this guy would beat him. This guys was a little on the bigger side.

The referee blew his whistle, and the two kind of circled around each other. Johnny was waiting for one of them to lunge at the other. Lucille reached for Johnny's hand. When she found it, she squeezed it tightly.

Finally, the guy charged Daniel. He jumped out of the way and got the first point easily. The opponent looked upset. He looked frustrated that _he_ didn't get the first point.

He tried again and again, but Daniel got both those points. Once the ref announced he won, he looked towards Lucille and Johnny with a big smile.

"He did it!" Lucille exclaimed happily. She dropped Johnny's hand and threw her arms in the air. Johnny looked down at him with a smile. He even offered Daniel two thumbs up, in which Daniel returned.

XxXxXxX

The final match of the day was between Daniel and Lawrence. One of the other boys had hurt Daniel, so Lucille and Johnny, were nervous about this match. Lawrence looked like he was out to kill Daniel if he could get away with it.

Daniel went to kick Lawrence in the stomach, but instead, Lawrence caught his leg and brought an elbow to his knee. Johnny cringed. Daniel fell to the ground holding his leg.

"My poor baby," she whispered to herself. Johnny knew it was taking everything she had not to run out to him.

Daniel rolled around a couple times. A referee followed after him. Daniel tried to stand up and the ref put his hand on Daniel's back.

"LaRusso, you okay? Can you go on?" he asked, helping Daniel back to his spot. Daniel nodded his head weakly and limped.

"There's no way he can continue. He's limping," Lucille said sadly. Johnny ignored her comment and watched his brother. Johnny knew he could do it, and he knew Daniel could win.

Daniel leaned forward and took deep breaths. Some of the boys on the Cobra Kais were laughing, and the sensei's face held no emotion.

"Get him a body bag!" one of the boys yelled. Daniel stood back up and tried to keep as much weight off his injured leg as possible.

"Warning for illegal contact to the knee," the referee said, pointing a finger towards Lawrence. Daniel got into the crane kick stance and glanced at Mr. Miyagi, who nodded his head quickly. Johnny waited to see what happened. Daniel looked back towards Lawrence. The referee blew the whistle, and Johnny took off towards Daniel, who did the awesome kick and got Lawrence under the chin. He fell to the ground. "Winner!" the referee announced, pointing a hand in Daniel's direction.

Ali, Lucille, and Johnny jumped up. Ali squealed and took off towards Daniel. Once she reached him, she threw herself onto him. Lucille and Johnny carefully stepped over the bleachers before racing over to him.

Daniel pushed Ali away when Johnny got closer. He gave a big smile before grabbing onto his younger brother. Daniel hugged his brother tightly. Johnny smiled and returned the hug.

"You did it!" Johnny exclaimed happily.

"No, Johnny . . . _We_ did it!" Lawrence handed Daniel the trophy.

"You're all right, LaRusso," he said. He then looked at Johnny. "You're all right, too." Daniel thanked him and held the trophy up as best as he could. Johnny grabbed the other side and helped him hold it up with a big smile on his face.

A perfect end to a bumpy start.

* * *

**Okay, it's time for the plots to be revealed. :)**

**Option A -**_Johnny and Daniel accompany Mr. Miyagi on a trip to Okinawa to visit Miyagi's dying father. As Mr. Miyagi deals with his foe, Sato, Daniel and Johnny are left with Sato's nephew, Chozen. Daniel tries to ignore the boy and ends up falling in love with a local, Kumiko, despite being heartbroken about Ali not too long ago. As for Johnny, his only plan is to stay out of Chozen's line of fire. Shortly after arriving in Japan, Johnny meets a local named Kyoko. The two of them become fast friends, and Johnny finds himself starting to fall for the beautiful Japanese girl. Something happens, and the truth is revealed. Johnny has fallen for Chozen's younger sister. Both know the consequences of what could happen if either him or Daniel find out, so the two continue their friendship in private. Daniel and Chozen end up finding out, and both are furious, and they forbid their younger siblings from seeing each other. After fighting for the death, Chozen and Daniel settle their differences, and Kyoko and Johnny kiss, sending their friendship to a whole new level._** (NOTE: The gang would rarely be mentioned in this fanfic)**

**Option B -**_Several months after the death of the Curtis parents, the brothers have a heavy weight lifted from their shoulders. Darry gets a promotion at work that requires a job move. The company offers to pay for housing and transportation for the first couple of months, but then the boys are on their own. Darry, without any hesistation, takes the offer for two reasons: the location and pay. The Curtis boys are moving to Reseda, California. Steve, Two-Bit, and Dallas each find out about the move, and somehow manage to talk Darry into taking them. When they arrive, Johnny is shocked to see his old friends, but he's happy nonetheless. While in California, drama ensues, and it's up to Johnny, with the help of Daniel, to help his old friends blend in with the other kids. It's going to be quite the struggle, but Johnny is ready._** (NOTE: The gang would always be present in this fanfic)**

**Remember to vote on my page because any choices left in a review WILL NOT be counted! :) And remember, the first chapter will be posted on Monday, March 25th.**

**Review loves, and please go to my page and vote for which plot you'd like to see for the sequel!**


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